Traffic on the main Ferozepur Road was disrupted on Thursday after jewellers from various parts of the state held a massive protest rally in the city. After having been brought to a standstill on Wednesday by various Sikh organisations demanding clemency for former militant Balwant Singh Rajoana,the city had to face problems once again when these traders marched through city roads under the banner of All India Jewellers Trade Forum. The rally began from Fountain Chowk. Senior leaders of Bhartiya Janata Party like Prof Rajinder Bhandari,Satpal Gosain,Ranjit Singh Dhillon and Sunil Mehra addressed the rally. The leaders and the protestors raised anti-UPA slogans demanded that the Centre should immediately rollback the hike in customs duty and consumers tax slapped on retailers,failing which the protests will continue. Convenor of the forum Anand Sikri said,We have been waiting all these days for the centre to correct its mistakes but they seem to be sleeping over the issue. Our shops are shut since the day of the Budget and we will continue the protest till the government rolls back its announcements. While todays rally has been a huge success,the pitch of the protest will get stronger day by day. Interestingly,many of the protesting jewellers had come to the city in luxury cars and AC buses.
