Delhi assembly passes resolution against excise duty on jewellery

The Delhi assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution against the central government's proposition to impose one percent excise duty on the jewellers and urged the prime minister to roll it back.

The resolution read: "This house, having understood the hardships being forced by both the jewellers and prospective customers in the wake of recent proposal in the union budget to impose one percent excise duty on non-silver jewellery, resolves that such a move is detrimental to the interest of all concerned and urges upon the prime minister of India to direct the union finance minister to immediately roll back the proposed excise duty."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the BJP-led central government "arrogant".

"On one side our government has reduced taxes while on the central government had imposed one percent excise duty on the jewellers. They (jewellers) are peaceful people but today they are forced to protest on the roads," he said.

He said that Indian jewellery has international repute and instead of encouraging it, the BJP government is putting extra burden on the jewellers.

"Modi governments is as arrogant as the Congress government was.. they didn't listen to the people either," he said.