Surat: Diamond workers from Surat and other small diamond cutting and polishing centres across the state will converge upon Yogi Chowk in Varachha to take a unanimous decision on a statewide strike in the diamond industry on February 23.Diamond Workers’ Union (DWU) is organizing a mahasabha of diamond workers to know the views of diamond workers on the strike call for providing justice to more than 30,000 diamond workers rendered jobless post-Diwali vacation.DWU president Ranmal Jilariya told TOI, “The DWU is a registered union for diamond workers in Gujarat. In the last few months, tens of thousands of workers in the industry have lost their jobs due to ongoing recession and decrease in polished diamond prices. We have called a mahasabha on February 23 to know the intentions of the workers’ community on the statewide strike in the industry.”Coming down heavily on the state government, Jilariya said, “The Kaushalya Vardhak Yojana launched in 2009 by then chief minister Narendra Modi has not benefited a single diamond worker in Gujarat. There are many government schemes like Ratnadeep Yojana but the government has not extended benefit to workers. At present, many workers have been rendered jobless but the industry and government have turned a blind eye to their condition.”Jilariya said the GWU wants strict implementation of labour laws in the diamond industry. Majority of diamond firms and companies are flouting labour laws and that the workers have been deprived of their legal rights.“About 90 per cent of diamond workers in the state have supported strike call in the industry. Before announcing the strike, we will be intimating the labour department on our intentions,” Jilariya said.GWU leader Mukesh Kanjaria said, “We demand that the government announce a relief package for diamond workers in Gujarat. The situation of the workers has turned from bad to worse. We have no other option but to call for an indefinite strike in the industry.”

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