*Strike renders millions on verge of starvation
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 6: As the indefinite strike by the jewellers entered 36th day, there is no sign of relief for them from Central Government as the latter is adamant on its decision of imposing one per-cent excise duty on the non-silver jewellery.
Due to the continuous strike since March 2, millions of workers engaged in the jewellery trade are at the verge of starvation and has sought help from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to end this strike.
Amid slogans against the Central Government, large number of jewellers, swarnkars, karigars and artisans assembled at Jain Bazaar and held protest. They termed the decision of Central Government of imposing one per cent excise duty on the manufacturing and production of the gold ornaments as ‘suicidal decision for bullion traders’.
Later, the jewellers took out protest rally, which started from Jain Bazaar and after passing through various bazaars concluded at the starting point.
Addressing the protesting jewellers, Raman Suri, Chairman, Sarafa Association and Swarnkars Sangh Joint Action Committee, Jammu Province said that “If in Narendra Modi’s rule, people have to sleep without food, can’t wear proper clothes and also can’t provide good education to their wards, then how the Ministers, MPs and MLAs can claim that NDA Government is people friendly.
He warned the Union Ministry to immediately roll back the Excise Duty failing which the Government will suffer the wrath of jewellers in the forthcoming elections in the five States.
Yash Pal Gupta from Kanak Mandi (President Traders Association, Jammu), Arjun Gupta and Gurmeet Singh from Rajinder Bazaar and Nazir Mohammad, a respected citizen who was passing by also spoke and said that Government should immediately rethink on its wrong decision.
Raj Kumar Babbar, All India Vice President Swarnkar Sangh and President Swarnkar Sangh, Jammu Province appealed to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that as she supported the same issue in 2012 as opposition leader, now being in power, she should come in support of the jewellers.
Parjan Kumar Jain, President Sarafa Association Jammu, Vijay Kumar Verma, General Secretary Sarafa Association Jammu, Kulbhushan Anand, President Swarnkar Sangh Jammu District, Vijay Kumar Verma, General Secretary Sarafa Association Jammu, besides many others addressed the protestors.
Meanwhile, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) held a meeting, wherein its President Rakesh Gupta suggested to the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to impose one per cent additional customs duty at the first point of import gold bullion which would yield more revenue rather than imposing excise duty. CCI also appealed to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the same view on imposition of excise as he did in 2012 by openly supporting the jewellers.
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