Bengaluru's wholesale cloth merchants suspend trade with Turkey, Azerbaijan
Bengaluru, May 17 (PTI): The Bangalore Wholesale Cloth Merchants Association (BWCMA) has decided to cease all import and export of textiles to and from Turkey and Azerbaijan, with immediate effect, citing their recent "support" for Pakistan in the wake of 'Operation Sindoor'.
The BWCMA have declared their unanimous decision in this regard.
"This collective action has been taken after careful deliberation and in alignment with our commitment to ethical business practices, national sentiment, and the interests of our trade community. As responsible stakeholders in the textile trade sector, we believe it is essential to take principled stands when necessary," BWCMA President Prakash Pirgal said in a statement.
"Accordingly, all our members have agreed to: halt all current and future import of textile goods from Turkey and Azerbaijan, cease all ongoing or planned export activities to these nations, and refrain from engaging in any indirect trade through intermediaries or third-party countries that may involve textile products originating from or destined for Turkey and Azerbaijan."
This resolution will remain in force until further notice, and any revision will be communicated officially through the Association's governing body, he said.
"BWCMA is an association of about 3,000 wholesale shops across Bengaluru. Our trade with these countries runs into crores of rupees, a lot of cloth materials come from there and also get exported," Pirgal told PTI, without sharing any actual figures.
He said, "These two countries have openly supported Pakistan following 'Operation Sindoor'. We stand with the Government of India, the country comes first. Remember when there was an earthquake in Turkey, India acted as a first responder to the unfolding humanitarian requirements there, but they have stood by Pakistan, which sent terrorists to kill our people."
The BWCMA has requested all concerned authorities, trade partners, logistics providers, and relevant stakeholders to take note of this declaration and co-operate with its members in ensuring adherence to the decision to suspend trade.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
