Official sources said there were over six lakh diamond workers in the district, even after several migrated to other sectors due to low wages and other factors.
A diamond workers’ union has announced its support to the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party in Sunday’s civic polls in Surat.
Diamond Workers Union Gujarat (DWUG), in a release on Thursday, said, “The AAP and the Congress had in their election manifestos and on social media platforms mentioned that they would remove professional tax recovered from diamond polishers of Surat should they win. So, DWUG will fully support AAP and Congress candidates in the upcoming civic body elections of SMC (Surat Municipal Corporation).”
DWUG vice president in Surat Bhavesh Tank told this reporter: “We had sought information related to the SIR carried out in Varachha Assembly seat through the RTI (Right to Information) and found that over 64,334 names had been deleted from the voter list.”
“The official reply says that these voters had shifted or migrated. A majority of voters in Varachha are diamond polishers, and their names have been deleted from the list. The official claim is that they have not filled SIR forms… The diamond industry is going through a recession. The polishers are angry and may not show enthusiasm in voting.” He added that 25,000 to 30,000 diamond workers were registered with the union, which takes up their issues with the state government. “We also try to amicably resolve disputes between diamond companies and their workers.” DWUG has been active for the last 15 years, mainly in Surat.
Official sources said there were over six lakh diamond workers in the district, even after several migrated to other sectors due to low wages and other factors.
They said the 2015 municipal elections were the first occasion when 24 Congress candidates won from six Surat wards that are dominated by people from the Patidar community. The Congress had reportedly never won from their prior, and BJP candidates had been winning these seats with a thumping majority. The year 2015 was the year of the Patidar reservation movement.
In the 2021 municipal elections, Patidar votes shifted with the AAP after the Congress party’s disputes over ticket distribution with the Patidar Anamata Andolan Samithi leaders.
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Most of the community members settled in Surat hail from North Gujarat and Saurashtra. While several work in the diamond industry, some also run textile and real estate businesses. Surat is home to an estimated 20 lakh people from the community, who mostly live in eight out of the 30 wards of SMC.
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
