Surat : DWUG Protests Gujarat Govt’s Rejection of 26K Diamond Worker Relief Forms

Surat | Gujarat —– Thee Diamond Workers’ Union Gujarat (DWUG) has accused the state government of unjustly rejecting 26,000 applications for education relief worth ₹13,500 each—forms that were filled out by diamond workers for their children’s schooling. The reason? Minor clerical mistakes and confusion over definitions in the government’s own resolution.

DWUG submitted a memorandum to the Surat district collector, demanding urgent reconsideration of the rejected applications. The union argued that while 50,241 forms were approved out of 76,000 submitted, a staggering 26,000 families have been left in limbo, their children’s education at risk because of technical errors.

The diamond sector has been reeling under a prolonged recession, leaving thousands of workers unemployed or on drastically reduced incomes. For many, the government’s ₹13,500 educational assistance scheme was a lifeline to ensure their children could remain in school.

Bhavesh Tank, vice-president of DWUG, minced no words.“It is a humble request that those 26,000 forms be reconsidered and approved after confirming whether the applicants are genuine gemologists or not. Cancelling the hopes of so many families over a small mistake is extremely serious. This is about children’s right to education.”

The union highlighted a major flaw in the process: confusion around the definition of “unemployed workers” and the requirement to mention the exact date of unemployment. Many workers misunderstood these instructions, leading to clerical errors that resulted in outright rejection.

“Of course, forms from people who are not linked to the diamond industry should be cancelled,” Tank clarified. “But punishing genuine workers for minor technical lapses is unjust. The government must take an immediate decision to correct this.”

Industry insiders warn that the mass rejection could trigger further unrest among Surat’s diamond workers, who are already facing severe economic hardship. The DWUG has urged the government to set up a transparent verification system rather than blanket cancellations.