Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 12: Hundreds of gold dealers and workers today staged a massive protest against the one percent hike in Excise Duty by Central Government and sought its roll back.
Holding placards and banners, hundreds of agitating gold dealers and workers assembled at press enclave here and staged a massive protest against the “arbitrary” hike in Excise Duty. The protesters termed the hike as “anti-people” and said common public has to bear its consequences.
“We are not out on roads for ourselves on but for common and poor people of the Valley. It is they who ultimately have to bear the brunt of this hike. Keeping in view several aspects, the gold could be out of reach for a common man. Hence, the Union Government should immediately roll back the Excise Duty hike,” said Bashir Ahmad Rather, who is president of All Kashmir Gold Dealers’ and Workers Association.
Extending support to the jewellers of rest of the Country, Rather said that they stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their counterparts. He said there are 3.5 crore people linked with gold business and the new laws are “so stringent that a person who polishes the gold has even to maintain a ledger”. Pertinently, the jewellers are on strike since many days in Kashmir.
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