Jewellers protest VAT hike

As part of the All-Karnataka State Jewellery Bundh, scores of jewellers gathered at the Mahatma Gandhi statue, before proceeding to the Vidhana Soudha.

Association secretary S Venkatesh Babu said they had also submitted the jewellers’ grievances to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

“We have decided to wait for three to four days for positive measures. If the government does not roll back the proposed hike in the VAT rates, the common man will be affected, which in turn, force us to shutdown shop indefinitely.”

He said the shutdown was a total success. “More than 3,000 jewellers participated in the protest. The chief minister promised to take a decision on  withdrawing the additional VAT within the next two to three days,” he said.

Babu said the additional VAT would be a burden on the consumers who may look out to buy jewellery from other states. It will also discourage new entrepreneurs from investing in Karnataka, he said.