Jewellers create ruckus outside the venue of Mukherjee's function

Chandigarh: Several slogan-shouting jewellers, demanding withdrawal of excise duty on jewellery items, on Friday created a ruckus outside the venue where Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was to address a seminar in Chandigarh.

The jewellers raised slogans as Mr Mukherjee entered the venue.

Police forced the jewellers to vacate the area around the building where the Union Minister was to address the seminar.

The jewellers wanted to submit a memorandum to Mr Mukherjee seeking withdrawal of excise duty on jewellery items.

The protesters argued with police to allow four of them to hand over the memorandum to the Union Minister.

Police scaled up security around the building.

Jewellers in Punjab and Haryana are observing a shutdown for about a fortnight protesting Mr Mukherjee's budget proposals on March 16 announcing one per cent levy on unbranded jewellery and doubling of import duty to 4 per cent on gold.

Both Punjab and Haryana Chief Ministers, in separate missives to the Union Finance Minister, had sought roll back in the proposed increase in import duty on gold and imposition of excise duty on unbranded jewellery.