The non-local organisers of a scheduled jewellery show in Jammu City had to cancel the Saturday night event following a protest by local jewellers, which betrayed the persistent fears in the region about an onslaught by “outsiders” on local jobs and businesses.

Ironically, Jammu residents had four years ago cheered the revocation of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state’s special status — a constitutional amendment that paved the way for outsiders securing the right to own land or businesses in the region.

Since the August 5, 2019, amendment that scrapped provisions of Articles 370 and 35A, Jammu has witnessed several protests against perceived attempts by outsiders to make inroads.

On Saturday night, the protesters chanted “Go back”, setting off a heated argument with supporters of the event. The police prevented a showdown.

Mohit Bhan, spokesperson for the People’s Democratic Party that has been staunchly opposed to the August 2019 changes, on Sunday tweeted a video of the protest with a “told you so” message.

“Repeatedly we said each & every household in J&K will face the heat in the absence of protection extended under 370 & 35A,” he wrote.

“Jammu will be the first casualty of this aggression. It started from mining, macadamisation & now skilled labourers in jewellery trade under attack.”

Kulbhushan Anand, general secretary of the Jammu-based Swarnakar Association, the biggest jewellers’ body in the region, said a Delhi-based event management firm had organised the jewellery “exhibition”.

“They had to cancel the exhibition following our protest. They also assured us there will be no such exhibition in the region in future,” Anand told The Telegraph.

“Several top jewellery brands operate from Jammu. We never objected to them because they are run by locals and benefit the locals. But in this case, locals were not benefiting in any way. The participants were all outsiders and even the GST was going to their home states.”

Anand, who asserted that his association had thousands of jewellers as members, said it had allowed an exhibition in Jammu last year after being misguided by the organisers.

“This time we were vigilant. They did business worth Rs 75 crore or more last year, which was a loss to us,” he said. “As happens elsewhere, some bad fish were cooperating with them for commissions.”

Anand said Jammu was home to thousands of jewellers, and the trade provided a livelihood to nearly 40,000 artisans. “They will bear the brunt if such things (events) are allowed here. A (rival) association was supporting them but they have only a handful of members,” he said.

Raman Suri, president of the Jammu Sarafa Association, which had backed the event, said the protest had sent out a “wrong message” to the country.

“I don’t know who are being called ‘outsiders’. This is one country. If people from Jammu can trade outside, why can’t people from outside do it here?” he told this newspaper.

Suri denied that Saturday night’s event was an “exhibition”, claiming it was a programme to invite dealers to participate in an exhibition in Delhi.

He said some jewellers had falsely portrayed the Jammu event as an “exhibition” but admitted that sellers from outside were participating.

Suri claimed that such events (including exhibitions) would not hurt but promote local businesses. “We too will not allow local trade to suffer, but such events help skill development,” he said.

“It won’t, however, be possible to hold an exhibition here in a long time (because of resistance from local jewellers and artisans). There is a need to spread awareness.”

Anand said his association had proof that it was an exhibition and that some 40-50kg of gold was to be put on display. “They had even (hired) models for the promotion,” he claimed.

In 2021, Jammu had observed a shutdown against the proposed opening of Reliance retail stores in the city, claiming they would ruin small shopkeepers.