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After the Central Board of Direct Taxes it was the turn of the indirect tax wing of the finance ministry to face the consequences of protests by Anna Hazare and Ramdev. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee traditionally addresses a press conference at the annual conference of chief commissioners and director generals of the Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC). Accordingly, CBEC created a time slot for his press conference in its programme on Wednesday. A private public relations agency also sent out press invitations for the press conference on CBEC’s behalf. But when the programme was sent for Mukherjee’s approval, he knocked off the press conference from the agenda. This left reporters wondering whether he did so to avoid media questions on Anna Hazare and Ramdev.