Jewellery traders in West Bengal to go on indefinite strike

Jewellers in West Bengal announced their decision to go on an indefinite strike from today in protest against increase in import duty and added excise duty on gold in the Union budget 2012-13. "One lakh jewellery shop owners in the state will be on (indefinite) strike which will further affect the gold trade," Executive committee member of the Calcutta Gem and Jewellers Welfare association Ratan Lal Agarwal said today.

Association President Ashok Begani said that the strike would continue till the demand of roll-back was taken. Begani said that the proposed increase in duties on ornaments in the budget has not been acknowledged by the jewellery businessmen association.

He said that there was no intimation from the Centre on roll-back, even though the West Bengal Commerce and Industry minister Partha Chatterjee assured to take up the matter with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.