New Delhi, Apr 21: Members, cutting across party lines, in the Lok Sabha today demanded that the excise duty imposed on the produce of small powerlooms in this year's budget be withdrawn and garment manufacturers with a turnover of upto Rs one crore be exempted from tax as poor workers were losing their jobs because of the policy. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress member Sriprakash Jaiswal said these measures had hit the small-scale sector hard. Jaiswal was supported in his contention by Congress deputy leader Shivraj Patil and Ramjilal Suman and Akhilesh Singh (both Samajwadi Party). Madanlal Khurana (BJP) said he had raised the issue in the House first and that value added tax and other excise duties imposed on small-scale sector should be taken back. Responding to the members' concern, Speaker Manohar Joshi said he would allow a discussion in the House on the issue. Bureau Report