Surat Businessman Does it Again, Gifts Mercedes-Benz SUVs Worth Rs 3 Crore to Employees
Surat, Sept 28: That there’s a man who showers his employees with gifts worth crores sounds unbelievably blissful in India, where eight out of 10 workers suffer from inadequate earnings, low productivity and difficult conditions of work.
The man is no other than Savji Dholakia, the owner of Hare Krishna Exporters, who has gifted three Mercedes-Benz GLS SUVs worth Rs 3 crore to three senior staffs who completed 25 years at the company.
Nilesh Jada (40), Mukesh Chandpara (38) and Mahesh Chandpara (43) were handed the car keys at an event in Surat by Madhya Pradesh Governor and former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.
The luxury SUV, whose on-road price in Surat is close to Rs 1 crore, is powered by a 3-litre V6 engine coupled with a seven-speed automatic transmission gearbox. It is coupled with LED headlamps, intelligent lighting system and many other exclusive features such as panoramic sunroof, three-zone climate control system, and rear seat entertainment among others.
These three beneficiaries were in their early teens when they joined the company, Dholakia told TOI. “They started with learning to cut diamonds and polish it and now they are not only experts but most senior and one of the most trusted people of our company.”
This isn’t the first time that the Surat-based diamond merchant has done something of this sort. On the New Year in 2017, he gifted 1,200 units of Datsun’s redi-GO hatchback to his employees.
A year before, the trader gave a Diwali bonus worth Rs 51 crore. The generous man also gifted 1,260 cars along with 400 flats to his employees.
Savjibhai Dholakia, fondly known as Savjikaka in Surat and Saurashtra, says that he offers gifts to the employees on the basis of their performance. His diamond and textiles trading company employs 5,500 people and has an annual turnover of over Rs 6,000 crore.
There’s a legend that Dholakia came from Dudhala village in Amreli district to Surat in 1977 on a state transport bus with just Rs 12.5 with him—the ticket fare—and over the years built a Rs 6,000 cr diamond business.
Courtesy: www.news18.com
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
