The Congress party is set to hold a rally to raise various issues faced by the power loom and handloom workers in Bhiwandi, which is considered the party’s traditional vote bank. The national president of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge, party’s Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi along with other state leaders are holding a rally on October 6 on the issue.
Bhiwandi, Malegaon, and Solapur are among the traditional small-scale handloom and power loom industries majorly dominated by Muslim artisans and workers. The power loom industry in these cities is facing challenges of survival with depleting numbers of units every year. The Congress has decided to amplify their issues to bring justice to the workers. Bhiwandi has over half a million power loom units, the number which was more than 8 lakh till a few years ago. Congress leaders are expected to announce incentives to the loom industry if elected to power.