Patidar agitation hurts diamond, textile businesses

However, over 40,000 textile trading shops in and around 150 textile markets on Ring road remained closed for the day in the view of a bandh called by the Patidars.

Diamond trade in Surat remained affected for the second day on Wednesday, amid violent incidents in the city sparked by the ongoing Patidar agitation.

Trading activities in the textile sector were also affected due to the violence, however, power looms remained functional in the city. The owners of textile and diamond units in the city have already suffered heavy losses in these two days.

Several diamond cutting and polishing factories, and trading markets are run by members of the Patidar community.

Diamond units in Varachha, Kapodara, Katargam remained closed for the second consecutive day as a large number of people (Patidars) associated with the trade left Surat to attend the Patidar rally in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

There are around 3,500 diamond units in the city and over 5 lakh people, mostly Patidars, are involved in diamond trade.

The trading activities of rough and polished diamonds in Varachha and Mahidharpura were also affected.
Power looms, and dyeing and printing mills in Surat were not affected and production continued on Wednesday.

However, over 40,000 textile trading shops in and around 150 textile markets on Ring road remained closed for the day in the view of a bandh called by the Patidars.

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Surat Diamond Association president Dinesh Navadia said, “The diamond factories and trading have been affected due to the bandh and the ongoing agitation. The factory owners and traders had voluntarily kept their business establishment closed. We hope that in coming days the business will come to normal stage.”

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