Surat: BJP's sitting MLA from Majura constituency has stirred up a hornet's nest by circulating his picture on social media where he can be seen being welcomed by the face of Goods and Service Tax (GST) agitation Hitesh Sanklecha.
Harsh Sanghavi, who has been renominated as BJP candidate, visited the textile market on Ring Road recently and clicked the picture with bouquet offered to him by Sanklecha. As soon as the picture went viral on the social media, Sanklecha had to face severe criticism from a section of textile traders still angry with BJP.
Textile trader Sanklecha (43) was the face of entire GST agitation taken up by Textile GST Sangarsh Samiti (TGSS) in July in the city. As soon as GST was rolled out on July 1, Sanklecha started an indefinite hunger strike, which went on for 22 days. Sanklecha was the key person behind organizing the massive rally of textile traders to oppose GST on Ring Road, which had a far-reaching impact on traders in other centres.
The WhatsApp group of textile traders was flooded with messages criticizing Sanklecha for meeting BJP candidate, who did not care to visit the textile markets and meet the traders when GST agitation was going on.
"It is very disturbing to see Sanklecha meeting BJP candidate Sanghavi. He was the face of GST agitation and now BJP is trying to appease the traders by showing Sanklecha's picture with the BJP candidate. Sanklecha should stay away from political personalities who are trying to break the unity of traders," textile trader Gajendra Singh said.
Another textile trader Rajesh Jalpani said, "On one voice of Sanklecha, thousands of textile traders gathered on Ring Road and took out a massive rally. This was a historic rally. BJP is yet to offer us a simplification formula and meeting the party candidate was not right."
Harsh Sanghavi, who has been renominated as BJP candidate, visited the textile market on Ring Road recently and clicked the picture with bouquet offered to him by Sanklecha. As soon as the picture went viral on the social media, Sanklecha had to face severe criticism from a section of textile traders still angry with BJP.
Textile trader Sanklecha (43) was the face of entire GST agitation taken up by Textile GST Sangarsh Samiti (TGSS) in July in the city. As soon as GST was rolled out on July 1, Sanklecha started an indefinite hunger strike, which went on for 22 days. Sanklecha was the key person behind organizing the massive rally of textile traders to oppose GST on Ring Road, which had a far-reaching impact on traders in other centres.
The WhatsApp group of textile traders was flooded with messages criticizing Sanklecha for meeting BJP candidate, who did not care to visit the textile markets and meet the traders when GST agitation was going on.
"It is very disturbing to see Sanklecha meeting BJP candidate Sanghavi. He was the face of GST agitation and now BJP is trying to appease the traders by showing Sanklecha's picture with the BJP candidate. Sanklecha should stay away from political personalities who are trying to break the unity of traders," textile trader Gajendra Singh said.
Another textile trader Rajesh Jalpani said, "On one voice of Sanklecha, thousands of textile traders gathered on Ring Road and took out a massive rally. This was a historic rally. BJP is yet to offer us a simplification formula and meeting the party candidate was not right."
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