Rahul Gandhi to join jewellers' protest at Jantar Mantar

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will join the jewellers' protest at the Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday against the Centre's excise duty proposal.

The jewellers' are demanding the withdrawal of excise duty on jewellery.

The representatives of jewellers' associations from across the country have been holding a protest at the Jantar Mantar against the excise duty imposed in the Union Budget 2016-17.

Gandhi had earlier met with the jewellers' on March 11. Jewellers' in several parts of the country, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata have kept down shutters for over a month now.

The Centre has constituted a panel to look into the jewellers' demands.

The panel, which has been asked to submit its report in 60 days, will look into issues related to the compliance procedure for the excise duty, including records to be maintained, forms to be filled, operating procedures and other relevant aspects.

The government, in the Budget for 2016-17, had proposed one percent excise duty on jewellery without input credit or 12.5 percent with input tax credit on jewellery excluding silver other than those studded with diamonds and precious stones.