Surat: The leaders of Federation of Gujarat Weavers Association (FOGWA) have come under the line of fire from the textile industry leaders, including the southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), for demonstrating against Union textile minister Smriti Irani during her visit to the city on September 21.The FOGWA leaders had gathered at the Surat International Exhibition Convention Centre (SIECC) at Sarsana, where Irani had come for the inauguration of ‘Source India-2018’ exhibition organized by the Synthetic and Rayon Textile Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC). The FOGWA leaders, including its president Ashok Jirawala, showed black flags and shouted slogans against Irani for not helping the power loom sector get their due of the accumulated input tax credit (ITC).SGCCI president Hetal Mehta told TOI, “The demonstration by FOGWA leaders was not needed and it has not gone down well with the foreign buyers, who were present at the exhibition. The SGCCI and other institutions are already pursuing the ITC refund issue with the central government.”Mehta added, “The FOGWA president is the Congress councillor and the demonstration was politically motivated. FOGWA cannot put the entire power loom industry in trouble for the ITC issue.”SRTEPC chairman Narayan Aggarwal said, “We had organized an international level exhibition in Surat and the first day was spoiled by FOGWA leaders. We had invited over 150 buyers from 35 countries and they were highly upset with the protest by FOGWA leaders. The textile minister had no clue about the entire issue and she was apprised after she came out of the exhibition.”Talking to TOI, FOGWA president Ashok Jirawala said, “We have been demanding the refund of ITC from a long time, but the Centre is not listening. We will continue to demonstrate against the government and its ministers. The entire power loom sector is in trouble due to this. The Centre owes Rs 600 crore to the power loom sector.”

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