Surat: Textile and diamond units observed bandh to pay respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here on Friday.Power loom weaving sector and textile traders had announced holiday after learning about the death of Vajpayee on Thursday. Pandesara Weavers Association president Ashish Gujarati said, “All the 700 units in Pandesara GIDC observed bandh to pay respect to Vajpayee. Country has lost a great leader.”Textile traders will hold a condolence meeting at Millennium Market on Saturday. Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) secretary Champalal Bothra said, “We have lost a great leader in Atalji. The entire textile industry is mourning his death. All the 165 textile markets remained shut for Friday to pay respect to him.” FOSTTA president Manoj Agarwal said, “A voluntary closure was observed in the textile markets. Atalji was a great leader and we wanted to pay our respect to him.”Diamond units and diamond markets in Varachha and Mahidharpura were shut on Friday to pay respect to Vajpayee. Surat Diamond Association (SDA) president Babu Gujarati said, “We have lost a great leader in the country. Diamond units and markets remained shut to pay respect to Vajpayee.”Diamond traders of Mahidharpura and Varachha organized condolence meetings in the evening. Diamond traders’ association leader Manhar Sutaria said, “We held a condolence meeting which was attended by diamond traders and merchants of Mahidharpura and Varachha diamond markets. The nation will always remember his good works.”

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