More than 50K jewellery traders hold protest rally at Ramlila Maidan against 1% excise

KNN Bureau Sectors 17 Mar 2016 16:02:44 <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="" width=""><param name="movie" value="http://knnindia.co.in/resources/ckeditor/plugins/jwplayer/jwplayer/player.swf" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="file=http://knnindia.co.in/knnuploads/uploads 4.1.14/praveen-goel-sunar.flv&autostart=false" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="file=http://knnindia.co.in/knnuploads/uploads 4.1.14/praveen-goel-sunar.flv&image=http://knnindia.co.in/knnuploads/uploads 4.1.14/praveen-goel-17-3-16.jpg&autostart=false" height="" id="player1" name="player1" src="http://knnindia.co.in/resources/ckeditor/plugins/jwplayer/jwplayer/player.swf" width="" wmode="opaque"></embed></object>New Delhi, Mar 17 (KNN) Thousands of jewellery traders from across the country are holding a rally today at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital protesting against the 1% excise duty levied on Jewellery. On one hand the traders are adamant to not call back the strike unless the government rolls back the duty, while on the other hand government has cleared its stand to stick with its decision. Meanwhile, the workers, mostly the daily wage earners who are at the bottom of the pyramid, are crying as this strike started on March 2, has hit them the most. KNN, caught up with some jewellery traders at the Ramlila Maida to seek their views on way forward. Praveen Goel, CMD of Sunar Jewel House and also the President of Gold Jewellers Metal Association said, “We will not at all call back the strike until the government takes back its decision on excise duty. The protest would go on till the.” He said that the core committee will take the decision regarding the strike. According to Goel, more than 50 thousand jewellery traders from across the country are present at the rally. A jewellery worker told KNN, “Hum to road par aa gaye hain. Bilkul barbad hog aye hain. Sarkar ko kuchh karna chahiye.” Jewellers are on strike since March 2 demanding withdrawal of the proposed excise duty. The strike entered the 16th day today, with gold and jewellery establishments remaining closed across the country. On Wednesday, a delegation of Jewel traders from all over India, called on the Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, seeking his support towards their agitation demanding rollback of the 1% excise levied on Jewellery. Kejriwal said, “I strongly object to the excise levied on the Jewel sector by the Central government. I demand a roll back of the same”. “I don’t see any point of the excise duty except for harassment of the traders. I doubt the intention of the central government behind this move. This will lead to corruption and the government won’t be able to get anything out of this”, the CM added. Kejriwal further added, “The PM had opposed the same excise tax when the UPA Government levied it, and now he is supporting it. I demand the Prime Minister to make it clear that made him change his stand?” No consultation was done with the traders before introducing the new duty; no policy should be formed without consultation with the stake holders/public, the Chief Minister of Delhi said. Members of over 358 associations, consisting of over 3 lakh manufacturers, retainers, wholesalers and artisans related to the jewellery trade and related businesses are on strike since March 2. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the general Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had rejected demand for rolling back the levy, saying the move is in preparation for unveiling of the goods and services tax (GST). (KNN Bureau) 14134 http://knnindia.co.in/sectors/more-than-50k-jewellery-traders-hold-protest-rally-at-ramlila-maidan-against-1-excise/31-14134.go 17 Mar 2016 16:02:44 KNN More than 50K jewellery traders hold protest rally at Ramlila Maidan against 1% excise