Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today made light of Rahul Gandhi's remarks that the one per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery was an "assassination attempt" on traders, saying the Congress leader's speech writers were not good in picking up the right terms.
He also downplayed the Congress Vice-President's address at a rally of the All India Bullion Jeweller and Swarnakar Federation at Jantar Mantar here, saying Gandhi goes "anywhere he is invited".
"If Rahul Gandhi has actually used the term (assassination), then I would say his speech writers are weak in selecting appropriate words (for him), Prasad told reporters here.
He also said Gandhi "goes anywhere he is invited".
"It is his right. He also went to JNU and till today, he has not criticised slogans raised against India," Prasad said at a press briefing on decisions taken by the Union Cabinet.
He said the excise duty is applicable to those who had a turnover of Rs 12 crore last year and Rs 6 crore this year.
"It is not applicable on artisans and labourers. No excise official will visit them and duty will be based on the documents they file on their own," he explained.
Backing the protesting jewellers, Gandhi dubbed the excise duty on non-silver jewellery items as an "assassination attempt" on traders by the BJP government and alleged it was being done to benefit big industrialists.
