Weavers take out protest rally

SURAT, July 13: Hundreds of weavers on Monday took out a procession to protest against an assault on some of them by the traders of Saikrupa Market, and submitted memoranda to the police commissioner and the district collector seeking action against the culprits.

They started in procession on scooters from Umiya Mataji temple and reached commissionerate after passing from various textile markets. Citing a recent incident, the memorandum alleged that when some weavers went to the Saikrupa Market to collect payment they were beaten up by traders and handed over to antisocial elements.

Weavers from Udhna, Bamroli, Bhatar, Pandesara among other industrial estates kept their powerlooms closed following a call from Surat Gray Manufacturers Sangh. The rally was taken out as much to protest against the recent attack as also to highlight what the rallyists alleged exploitation by traders.

Traders were shortchanging them, while weighing the gray cloth, they alleged adding payment was always hard to come by. Many traders did not register their shops and go bust putting weavers in the lurch.