By: Eastern Eye Staff
Gujarat jewellers have decided to continue their strike indefinitely against Union government’s proposals of excise duty on jewellery and production of PAN card made compulsory on purchase of more than Rs. 2 lakh worth of jewellery. Jewellers are already on a three day All India strike protesting against the budget proposals.
At a meeting of Gujarat Jwellers Association held in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (March 2), a decision was taken to continue the strike indefinitely.
India Bullion and Jewellers Association had given a call for a three day nationwide strike, seeking the withdrawal of one per cent excise duty on jewellery that was announced in the Union budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday (February 29). The strike commenced on Tuesday (March 1) and Thursday (March 3) was supposed to be the last day of the strike.
Government of India also had attempted to impose excise duty on jewellery in the year 2012, but had to subsequently roll it back in the face of strong protests and strike by the jewellers.
