Jewellers meet CM Kejriwal, to continue strike

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal again slammed the Centre over the jewellers strike, after jeweller associations met him on Friday.

“Jeweller associations met me today. New excise duty will mean inspector raj and corruption. Stiff opposition across India, yet centre adamant.” tweeted Kejriwal. On the other hand, jewellers on Friday decided to continue and intensify their pan-India strike for an indefinite period against the Budget proposal to impose 1 percent excise duty on non-silver jewellery, despite the Centre’s assurance of constituting a Committee to look into the procedural issues of excise implementation on jewellers.

“Nothing less than a complete roll back of excise duty levied on jewellers is acceptable to us,” said Praveen Goel, president of All India Bullion, Jewellers, Swarankar Federation (AIBJSF). “Representatives of more than 375 jewellery trade associations, including manufacturers, retailers, artisans, converters, designers and others from different states attended the meeting and unanimously decided to intensify the strike till we get the announcement of roll back,” said Yogesh Singhal, general secretary, AIBJSF.