 Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 9: To further exert pressure on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the centre to withdraw the recently levied Excise Duty on gold ornaments, Swarankar Sangh Sarafa Association (SSSA), on Saturday announced to further extend its ongoing bandh by next 72 hours.
A decision to this effect was taken in a joint meeting of Swarankar Sangh, Jammu city and Sarafa Association Jammu. It was chaired by Jammu District Swarankar Sangh President Kulbhushan Anand, Sarafa Association President Parjan Jain and Swarankar Sangh Jammu Province President Raj Kumar Babbar.
Earlier, SSSA took out a massive protest march led by Ajay Vaid, National Working Committee Member of Akhil Bharatiya Swarankar Sangh & General Secretary Swarankar Sangh, which passed through main bazars of the city and culminated at Kanak Mandi Chowk. The participants in the march were shouting slogans against Union Finance Minister -"Vitt mantri hosh mein aao, kaala kanoon vaapis lo" and "inspector raaj khatam karo".
Ajay Vaid, while addressing the gathering of the protesting members of Associations, said that the Union Finance Minister has levied Excise Duty of one percent on gold ornaments, which is unjustified and not acceptable. He said that in 2012, UPA government had levied similar duty but it was withdrawn in just three weeks after protests and opposition across the country but the Congress lost the elections due to non-support of over 25 lakh shopkeepers and 75 lakh artisans associated with gold business. He warned the present NDA government to reconsider its decision failing which the bandh will further be intensified. |
