Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 15: As Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected demands for rollback of one per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery during his speech in Lok Sabha, the jewellers continued their rage against the decision for the 14th consecutive day here.
Jewellers across the State have been protesting against the proposed one per cent excise duty on the production and manufacturing of gold jewellery.
All the jewellers, Karigars, Swarnkars and all other associated people sat on dharna at Jain Bazar, Jammu. While sitting on the Dharna, many people expressed their rage against the Union Government and its decision.
Later, the protesters took out a rally from Jain Bazaar, which passed through Chowk Chabutra, Pacca Danga, Raj Tilak Road, Purani Mandi, City Chowk, Kanak Mandi, Lakhdata Bazar and culiminated at Jain Bazar.
Addressing the rally at different places, Raman Suri, Chairman, Sarafa Association and Swarnkar Sangh Joint Action Committee, Jammu Province, lambasted the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for not speaking in favour of jewellers in Lok Sabha yesterday.
He asked the BJP leaders, MLAs and MPs of Jammu, who had favoured the jewellers strike in 2012 on the same issue, that if they could support a cause four years before, then why they are not supporting the same cause this time.
“We are not against BJP, Congress or any other political party but we are against the anti-people policies made by them”, Suri said and urged Jaitley to immediately roll back the excise duty so that the respect, which the jewellers have for him will remain intact.
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 and Lucky Jain, Executive Member Sarafa Association Jammu said that in the proposed Mega Rally scheduled to be held on March 17 at Ram Leela Maidan, New Delhi, hundreds of jewellers from J&K will participate to express their full support against the anti-jewellers decision of the Central Government.
Meanwhile, Raj Kumar Babber, All India Vice President Swarnkar Sangh and President Swarnkar Sangh, Jammu Province addressed the gathering of Swarnkars and jewellers from RS Pura and Arnia at Arya Samaj Mandir, RS Pura.
In his address, Babbar reminded that on the support of traders, BJP came in power in Centre. “PM Narendra Modi supported the cause of jewellers in 2012, but this time he is silent, which reflects his callous attitude towards them”, he added.
“If the Government’s intention is to snatch the bite from our mouth, then we will not let this happen at any cost. We will protest till our voice is heard and action is taken in our favour”, Babber warned.
Manohar Lal, President, RS Pura Jewellers Association, Ram Kumar, Jagjit Singh, DK Luthra besides many others also addressed the gathering.
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