Kolkata: Traders in West Bengal downed their shutters for the second day on April 1 in protest against Value-Added Tax (VAT), even as the state government deferred its implementation from April 1.

Mahesh Kumar Singhania, chairman of Federation of West Bengal Trade Associations, said that shops throughout the state remained closed for the second consecutive day.

Despite state Finance Minister's appeal to the traders on March 31 to come for talks without going for bandh, he said that Dasgupta did not say that he would not introduce VAT.

''We have gone ahead with the bandh since we are opposed to VAT,'' he said.

Singhania, however, said that they would hold dialogue with the state government on April 12 on this issue.

The Finance Minister had stated that the government could not introduce VAT from April 1 as it has not received the final approval of the President on the Bill for introducing VAT.

PTI