Blockade successful across Gujarat, say protesting jewellers

As a part of the protest against excise duty levied by central government, the jewellers of various cities have called chakka jam and blocked roads for half an hour to hour in the morning on Tuesday. On eighteenth day of the nationwide strike called by jewellers, the jewellers association of Ahmedabad blocked the SG Highway near Karnavati Club for an hour.

"At the same time, we blocked roads in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Modasa, Patan, Porbandar, Bhuj and various other cities of state. We were successful in chakka jam called by jewellers," said member of Gujarat Jewellers Association and managing director of AB Jewels, Manoj Soni.

In Ahmedabad, after calling chakka jam, the cops were forced for lathicharge. "Police had detained a few members but later they were released. More than 3,500 jewellers were gathered at Karnavati Club cross roads for chakajam. Our intentions were not bad and so nothing happened to any member of the association," said secretary of Ahmedabad Jewellers Association, Haru Zaveri.

He further said that by evening of Tuesday, more than 5,000 jewellers gathered at Ghatlodia. "With continuous efforts by calling Sabhas every alternate days, we are getting support from all the jewellers in the city," said Zaveri.

On Wednesday, representatives of jewellers association from across the country are meeting in Mumbai. "We will decide on further step of our strike. We just have cheer and need support of each and every jeweller across the nation for survival of the strike, till excise duty is abolished on jewellery," said Soni.

The strike will continue till duty is not abolished. "Now even Anna Hazare and his team are supporting us. It has been 18 days, the union finance minister has not yet rolled back the 0.30% excise duty on jewellery. The strike continues," said member of Ahmedabad Jewellers Association, Zaverilal Zaveri.