A newly built wholesale fish market in Gujarat's Surat has triggered a controversy after a signboard carrying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name was installed at its entrance. The market, located at Lakkadkot in the Nanpura area, was constructed by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The signboard reads 'Shree Narendra Modi Wholesale Fish Market' and features a photograph of PM Modi. The board also carries the name of the Surat Fish Merchant Association (SFMA), which has backed the proposal to name the facility after the Prime Minister.
Some fish traders have objected to the move, pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vegetarianism. "Narendra Modi has never consumed seafood in his life and is a pure vegetarian. Because Modi is a vegetarian, this board should not be put up," fish trader Surendra Lashkari was quoted as saying by PTI.
The civic body, however, said the name has not yet received official approval. SMC Executive Engineer for the Central Zone, RD Ganjawala, said the SFMA had submitted a written request to the Standing Committee chairman and the Central Zone authorities seeking to name the market after Modi. "The board was put up without an official resolution. We have informed them about it and they have given a verbal assurance that they will take it down themselves," Ganjawala said.
The market has 80 wholesale stalls and was built at an estimated cost of ₹9-10 crore, according to the civic body. The SFMA has defended its proposal, citing government funding received for the project under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, launched by the Modi government. "Under the Yojana, which was launched by PM Modi, the SMC received ₹3 crore to build this market," SFMA president Kalpesh Navsariwala said. Navsariwala also pointed to other government measures aimed at supporting fishing communities. "Others never did anything for us. Now that the market has been built and providing employment to lakhs of people, it is causing heartburn to some people," he said. RD Ganjawala confirmed that ₹3 crore of the project's funding came through the government scheme, while the remaining amount was contributed by the Surat civic body.
