Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 24: Jewellers announced that the jewellers all over India will observe complete Bandh of their business establishments for 72 hours that is from April 25, 2016 to 27th April, 2017, in protest against the Union Ministry's indifferent attitude towards the jewellers and their demands.
In this year's Annual Budget, the Union Finance Minister imposed the Excise Duty on production/manufacturing of Gold Jewellery, which is extremely devastating for the Jewellery business as it will bring the same to an end.
The Jewellers all over India started protesting against this budgetary proposal from March 02, 2016 and observed complete Bandh of their shops/business establishments for consecutive 42 days. But, then they suspended the Bandh for 12 days that is from April 13, 2016 to April 24, 2016 on assurance of the Government that it will amend the Excise Duty Act as per the demands of jewellers. The All-India Action Committee of Jewellers warned the government that if the jewellers' demands would not be fulfilled in these 12 days of suspension, then their protest would again begin from the 13th day that is from April 25, 2016.
A joint meeting of Sarafa Association and Swarnkar Sangh, Jammu province held today, in which Raj Kumar Babbar (All India Vice President Swarnkar Sangh & President Swarnkar Sangh, Jammu Province), Parjan Jain (President Sarafa Association Jammu), Vijay Kumar Verma (General Secretary Sarafa Association Jammu), Kulbhushan Anand (President Swarnkar Sangh Jammu District) announced 72 hours Bandh. They said that all the jewellers and swarnkars of Jammu Province will observe complete Bandh from April 25 to April 27, 2016.
Raman Suri (Chairman, Sarafa Association and Swarnkar Sangh Joint Action Committee Jammu Province) said, "We suspended our Bandh for 12 days on the assurance of Union Ministry that they will either roll back or amend the Excise Duty Act as per our demands. This duration of 12 days was nothing else, but time given to the Union Government to act judiciously in our matter."
"But the Government has still not taken any decision in favour of the jewellers. Hence, all the Jewellers, Swarnkars, Karigars and Artisans have unanimously decided to support the Bandh Call by the All-India Action Committee of Jewellers. If the Government will remain adamant even after these 72 hours, then the further course of action of the strike will be decided and intimated on April 27, 2016", he added.
Vijay Kumar Verma (General Secretary Sarafa Association Jammu), Ajay Vaid (Gen. Sec. Swarnkar Sangh Jammu District), Rajesh Verma and Arun Sethi (Vice Presidents of Swarnkar Sangh Jammu District), Surinder Jain (Treasure Sarafa Association Jammu) and executive members of Sarafa association Ajay Talla, Rakesh Mahajan, Sanjay Jain, CL Khajuria, CL Puri, Vijay Saraf, Darshan Dhalla alongwith all the members and office bearers of Swarnkar Sangh Jammu all in one voice supported the Bandh Call and said that this time Bandh will be very aggressive as they are too annoyed with the Union Government's their non-seriousness.
A grand rally will take place at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on April 25, 2016 in which almost all political party's big leaders will join the protest as a part of the agitation against the Union Finance Ministry alongwith Lakhs of Jewellers, Swarnkars, Karigars and Artisans from all over the country will participate in the rally. Such a huge number of protestors, that too in the Capital city of the country, will no longer remain merely a National Issue but will enter the arena of International Affairs as well. |
