Garment manufacturers today began their two-day strike, closing down their factories across India demanding rollback of 10% excise duty imposed on branded apparel in Budget 2011-12.
The strike call has been given by Clothing Manufacturers Association Of India (CMAI), an industry body that claims to represent over 20,000 companies in India, including ready made garment manufacturers, exporters and retailers.
It has also been supported by other bodies such as the Intimate Apparel Association of India (IAAI) and Federation of Hosiery Manufacturers Association of India (FHMAI).
According to IAAI President Rakesh Grover, production units in Kolkata, Mumbai, Ludhiana, Tirupur and Ahmedabad remained closed. IAAI claims a membership of about 500 manufacturers and retailers of intimate apparels.
The strike will continue tomorrow also and garment makers will hold a rally from Ram Lila Maidan to Jantar Mantar here in the Capital, he added.
FHMAI, which claims to be an association of around 3,000 hosiery manufacturers, said its members are also undertaking a two-day hunger strike as part of the protest.
"At Metro Channel in Kolkata protesters have gone on a hunger strike from today and it will last till tomorrow evening," FHMAI Vice-President Sanjay Jain said.
The garment manufacturers have been demanding roll back of the 10% excise imposed on branded apparels by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Budget 2011-12.
The manufacturers had earlier gone on strike on March 4.
CMAI had earlier said that the two-day strike will result in a loss of Rs 600 crore.
