One week after they began their strike, jewellers and gold merchants in the city raised the stakes with an indefinite relay hunger strike in multiple locations in Hyderabad.
Sitting under makeshift tents with banners protesting the proposed Excise Duty, a few traders wore marigold garlands to mark themselves as those on a fast.
“This is a make or break struggle. If we lose heart now, all will be gone. Think about your children and grandchildren, if you want a good life for them don’t back out now,” hectored Mohanlal Jain of Pot Market Jewellery Shop Association, who was on a whistle-stop tour to various location where jewellers were on a strike.
“Earlier government created Gold Control Act to limit gold consumption in the country. What happened? People became afraid of storing or buying gold in the country. But this time there is a revenue aspect which is very dangerous for the trading community,” said Mohanlal.
