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Journalism of Courage
A group of diamond workers in Surat on Thursday approached police against the owners of a diamond factory, accusing them of going into hiding without paying them their salaries that have been pending for several months.
In their application, 10 diamond workers, led by the Diamond Workers’ Union Gujarat (DWUG), stated that salaries worth Rs 10.41 lakh were due on the firm.
In their application submitted at Katargam police station, the workers requested that an offence be registered against Virani Diamonds’ factory owners, Amit Virani and his brother Viren Virani, alleging that they had not paid the diamond polishers two to four months of salaries. The workers stated that the owners had assured them that they would receive their salaries on October 21.
However, when the workers went to the factory on the said date, they found the premises shut and the owners’ mobile phones switched off, they said.
The next day, the workers contacted Surat Diamond Association and requested its office bearers to intervene in the matter.
After they contacted the DWUG office, its state vice-president Bhavesh Tank accompanied them to the police station.
Inspector B K Chaudhary of Katargam police station told The Indian Express: “We have received the application from the diamond polishers. We tried contacting Virani brothers but their phones were switched off. We are looking for them. If they fail to turn up in the next couple of days, we will register an offence.”
Surat Diamond Association president Jagdish Khunt said, “This is the first such instance in the history of the Surat diamond industry in which factory owners have ‘gone underground’ without disbursing salaries to the polishers. We are trying to get the details of the people with whom they were running the business. Based on market inputs, we have come to know that Virani brothers had dues of over Rs 2 crore.”
Despite repeated attempts by The Indian Express, the Virani brothers could not be contacted for comment.
Ajay Chouhan, a worker at Virani Diamonds factory, said, “I have been working at the factory for the last two years at a monthly salary of Rs 25,000. I have not received my salary in the last four months.”
“The owners used to give us a small amount once in a while, assuring we would get the full sum in Diwali. Last year, too, such a thing happened but during the Diwali season, the entire pending salary along with bonus were given to us,” he further added.
Chouhan said the Katargam factory has been in existence for the last eight years. The owners have small factories in Bhavnagar and Botad as well. Major work of cutting and polishing on the diamonds was done in Botad while finishing touches were given in Surat, he added.
DWUG vice-president Tank said, “There are over 40 diamond workers employed at Virani Diamonds firm and many of them had gone back home. We have received the complaint submitted by 10 of the workers. We will knock at every door needed to ensure justice to them.”
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