Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 21: As the talks between the bullion traders and the senior functionaries of the Central Government failed, the jewellers across the Jammu and Kashmir continued with their indefinite strike for the 20th consecutive day.
The jewellers across the Country including Jammu and Kashmir have been protesting against the proposed one per cent excise duty on the production and manufacturing of gold jewellery, which was announced by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech.
The jewellers, swarnkars and artisans under the banner of Sarafa Association and Swarnkar Sangh Joint Action Committee, Jammu Province took out protest rally from Chowk Chabutra to Kanak Mandi.
While addressing the gathering, Chairman of the Committee, Raman Suri disclosed that All India Jewellers, Sarafs and Swarnkars will continue with their strike as Central Government is adamant over the decision of revoking excise duty.
“Our demand is to roll back excise duty fully. How can we take our strike back till the decision is revoked”, he said while referring to the end of the 20-days long strike by some of the Associations, which compromised with the Central Government for their petty gains.
He stated that jewellers protest will be different now, which will force Union Finance Minister to roll back the excise duty decision.
“If the Central Government fails to roll back the decision, then jewellers will make BJP’s win difficult in the forthcoming elections in five States”, Suri asserted.
Raj Kumar Babber, All India Vice President Swarnkar Sangh and President Swarnkar Sangh Jammu Province appealed to all the jewellers not to fall prey of so-called associations, which are derailing from its original motto of the strike of revoking the excise duty decision. He also appealed to the bullion traders to keep their establishments closed till further course, which will be taken in a meeting of all the presidents of Swarnkar Sangh of Jammu Province on March 22.
Among others present were Parjan Kumar Jain, President Sarafa Association Jammu, Kulbhushan Anand, President Swarnkar Sangh Jammu District, Vijay Verma, General Secretary Sarafa Association Jammu, Ajay Vaid, General Secretary Swarnkar Sangh Jammu District, Arun Sethi, Senior Vice President Swarnkar Sangh Jammu, Rajesh Verma, Vice President Swarnkar Sangh Jammu, Raj Kumar, President Swarnkar Sangh Jammu West, Sanjay Jain, Ajay Talla, Rakesh Mahajan, Darshan Dhalla and CL Khajuria, executive members.
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