Diamond hub chooses to skip the anniversary
Ketan
Tanna
| TNN
Mumbai: The Indian diamond industry is pegged at Rs 70,000 crore. It employs over one lakh persons, a majority of them from Mumbai. During the 2006 serial train bomb blasts, it lost 12 members. One would have expected tributes on the first anniversary of 7/11, especially since the attack was seen to be directed at the affluent Gujarati community. But Mumbai’s diamond industry seemed to have collective amnesia. Not a single prayer or condolence meeting was held in the Opera House area, which is the heart of the diamond trade.
“Meeting? What meeting”? murmured brokers who were busy gulping elaichi chai and doing deals near Panchratna Building, which houses the who’s who of the industry. Bharatbhai, who identified himself as an office bearer of the Mumbai Diamond Merchant Association, said, “Please don’t waste our time. We have no function. And now please leave.”
Outside The Jewel building, the street was chock-ablock with gem assorters, polishers and sundry traders, talking about the deals of the day, exchanging information over a plate of hot pakoras and gatiya. “Yeah, it’s sad there is no meeting. We should have had a meeting for those who died”, said Jignesh Patel.
Sanjay Shah, a diamond polisher said he had heard of a meeting on the sixth floor of Panchratna. But on the 6th floor, the rooms were locked. “Oh, it was a yoga meeting, that is over,” said a guard. Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council chairman Sanjay Kothari too was not aware of any efforts to pay tribute to victims of the blasts but he agreed that it should have been organized.
The indifference of the industry was apparent although there were some who did express concern. “This industry survives on today. For them yesterday does not matter and tomorrow is yet to come. Today is rokda (cash)”, said Vinay Parekh, a veteran trader.
Chandubhai Kasodariya whose uncle Kalubhai died in the blast said some of the relatives of the dead had held their own individual prayer meetings. Manubhai Shah, for instance, held a prayer meeting for his brother’s son, Anil who died in the blast. Rajesh, brother of Nitin Shah who lost a couple of fingers in the blast, was sanguine. “I guess it is human nature to move on. I guess the diamond industry has moved on”, he said.
Weak security
The only place where the 7/11 incident appears to have left a mark is the security department of the diamond exchange. Entry points to the building are now controlled to regulate the traffic of visitors. Only one person can enter at a time can enter although ID cards have been given a go-by and no one is asked for proof of identity.
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