Goldsmiths Up In Arms Against Union Government For Imposing Excise Duty
Author(s): Vikramditya SharmaFerozepur, March 11, 2016: Hundreds of goldsmiths and Sarafan Union Members belonging to Ferozepur City, Mallanwala, Zira, Makhu, Fazilka, Jalalabad, Guruharsahai, Talwandi, Mudki, Mamdot congregated at local...
Ferozepur, March 11, 2016: Hundreds of goldsmiths and Sarafan Union Members belonging to Ferozepur City, Mallanwala, Zira, Makhu, Fazilka, Jalalabad, Guruharsahai, Talwandi, Mudki, Mamdot congregated at local Udham Singh Chowk in Ferozepur and hold a protest against the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for imposing 1% excise duty on jewelry manufacturing.
Jashanpreet Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Aadesh Singh, Jagmohan Singh, Davinder Kumar, Upkar Singh and several other members of Goldsmiths said that before 2014 Lok Sabha elections PM Narender Modi had promised that “achhe din” will come for the poor. “We had great expectations from PM Modi but all our hopes have been shattered”, said Jashanpreet Singh. Jagmohan Singh, another goldsmith from Mallanwala said that few years ago, it was BJP, who had played influential role in the rollback of excise duty during the UPA-II regime. “Now disavowing from its previous stand, BJP government has imposed the excise duty on us”, he added.
The agitated goldsmiths burnt the effigy of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and raised anti-government slogans. The office-bearers of Goldsmiths and Sarafa associated threatened to go on strike if their demands were not met.