"In case the Centre does not take any concrete step for the removal of service tax, levied on the traders by January 18, traders will launch a nation-wide agitation," Confederation of All India Traders, Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said.

Representatives of leading trade bodies would meet on January 19 and 20 under the banner of CAIT to decide on the future course of action, he said.

In the two-day meet, a white paper on value addd tax to be released by Finance Minister P Chidambaram on January 17, will also be discussed.

The traders, beside holding the nation-wide agitation, would also contemplate legal action in case the government was not willing to spare them from service tax, he said.

"We will go to the court if the finance minister does not take our reservation on the issue into account," he said.

Former Union Minster and CAIT Chairman Vijay Goel said of the 85 services brought under service tax net, the tax on transportation of goods was the only exception, which had been imposed on 'service takers' instead of 'service providers'.

A representation on the issue had already been made to the advisor to finance minister, Parthasarthy Shome, and Central Board of Excise and Customs, Khandelwal said, adding "but so far we have not met the finance minister on the issue".