Small traders here protested against the proposed GST slabs, alleging that the rates were not affordable to small traders.

Confederation of Small Traders Union district head P Manikam said, “These tax rates will only affect our business more and not help improve it.” The Government should not bring small and big traders in the same slab, he added.

The union alleged that the GST is rolled out by Centre to help big business. It also called for regulation of e-commerce which was hitting small traders hard, said union secretary K Muthuraj. He also alleged that most of the products sold online were of poor quality and did not last beyond three months.