Modi charged: Sops to Tatas, peanuts to diamond workers

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat leader of opposition Shkatisinh Gohil has termed the state government's package for diamond workers as "joke" to lakhs who lost their jobs due to recession in the diamond industry.

"When lakhs of diamond workers have lost their job, the Modi Government came out with a skill enhancement package for only 15,000 workers," Gohil said in a release here today.

"It is unfortunate that this government can afford to offer Rs 9,570 crores soft-loan to Tata group for Nano car project, but sanctioned only Rs 12 crore for diamond workers' skill enhancement scheme," he said.

He said what the government has offered is "nothing more than peanuts".



According to Gohil, diamond workers are already "skilled workers" so they don't need any skill enhancement training.

"They are already skilled workers. They want work and not training," he added.

Congress spokesperson Arjun Modhvadia also described the package as a "ridiculous attempt to woo diamond workers at the time of general elections."