Traders burn Paswan's effigy, shut industrial units

Jalandhar, Feb 14 (UNI) On a bandh call given by various industrial and traders associations of Punjab against the 'wrong policies' of the Central Government and the unprecedented hike in the prices of steel, a large number of industrials units remained closed today in the city.

The members of the different trade organisations also staged a dharna and burnt the effigy of Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan at Company Bagh.

Addressing the traders, Federation of Jalandhar Industrial and Traders Associaton, president Gursharan Singh said that due to the big hike in the prices of steel, the small scale industry sector was on the verge of shutting down.

For this plight of the traders, he blamed the 'wrong policies' of the Union Government and its failure in curbing the rising prices of the steel and iron.

To save the industry from further decline, he suggested that the Central Government should put a ban on the export of iron and steel and there should be no duty of import of scrap.

They also threatened to go on hunger strike if the government failed to redress their problems.

UNI DP HS BP1851