UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardena said that the 15 percent VAT has affected the people in an extremely harsh manner, and that the VAT is imposed on even the air.

Speaking at a 'Joint Oposition' press conference today, he showed a bill issued for pumping air, to establish his claim.

Gunawardena said that the VAT has hit the small and medium businesses extremely hard. Retail and wholesale businesses with a turnover of Rs 12 million has been subjected to VAT, he added, pointing out that the Rajapaksa government imposed on VAT only on a limit of Rs 250 million.

Therefore businesses with a turnover of Rs 33,334 per day will be subjected to the VAT, he explained.