India Bullion & Jewellers group calls for bandh on March 10

MUMBAI: India Bullion and Jewellers Association Ltd today called for a nation-wide bandh on March 10 to protest against "harassment" of bullion dealers and jewellers by government agencies.

"In a meeting of Board of Directors at IBJA here today, it was decided that traders will observe a bandh on Monday (March 10) to protest against harassment of bullion dealers and jewellers by various government agencies. This harassment has impacted the overall moral of gems and jewellery business very badly," IBJA President Mohit Kamboj said in a statement here.

The government's gold control rule has resulted in the Indian gems and jewellery industry facing the worst-ever crisis, it said.

"Many policies implemented by the government have been very disappointing and demoralising....Recently many cases of harassment have been reported not only from customs at the airport but even from jeweller's establishments as well," the release said, adding that exporters were facing a severe shortage of gold due to the present gold-control regime.