Vizianagaram goldsmiths seek Centre’s clarity on gold buying amid week-long protests

The Vizianagaram Goldsmiths Association (Viswa Brahmin Swarnakara Sangham) president Bangaru Demullu and general secretary Tholeti Santosh on Friday (May 22, 2026) asked the Union government to issue a fresh clarification on gold buying, to protect workers who depend on the jewellery-making sector.

Following a call by the association’s State president Karri Venumadhav, goldsmiths and workers at manufacturing units have been holding protests in Rajam, Cheepurupalli, Vizianagaram and other places for the past week.

Speaking to the media here, Mr. Demullu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion not to buy gold for a year had dealt a blow to the industry, which was already in a slump because of soaring prices of the yellow metal in the international market.

Association representatives Manepalli Adinarayana, Appalabattula Somaraju, Kosuru Prasad and others asked the government to study the socioeconomic conditions of goldsmiths, saying most of them were leading a hard life after the entry of corporate jewellery shops in tier-3 cities and semi-urban areas.

The members submitted a memorandum to Vizianagaram MLA Aditi Vijaya Lakshmi Gajapathi Raju, asking her to convey their grievances to the government. They said the livelihood of nearly 2,500 goldsmiths had been hit by a drop in orders after the Prime Minister’s statement.