Jewellers suspended 21-days strike till May 10

A section of agitated jewellers today called off 21-days old strike after getting assurance from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and UPA president Sonia Gandhi, who invited union leaders for talk.

"We have decided to suspend the strike till May 10," All India Sarafa Association general secretary Surendra Jain said.

Some of traders who met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the morning and later Mukherjee, said the finance minister has assured them that their grievance with regard to levy of 1 per cent excise duty on unbranded jewellery would be addressed.

However, they also added that ministers have showed their helplessness in immediately rolling back the levied tax as the proposal is a part of the Finance Bill pending in Parliament, there is a protocol to be followed.

--With Agencies Input --