AHMEDABAD: A viral video by BJP Rajya Sabha MP and industrialist Govind Dholakia highlighting the poor condition of roads in Surat has triggered a political row, with citizens and opposition parties questioning the Surat Municipal Corporation's pre-monsoon preparedness.
The video, recorded while Dholakia was travelling from Ichchapore to Surat airport, shows muddy and potholed roads on the route. Expressing his displeasure in Gujarati, Dholakia described the city's condition as "shameful" and said no one in the administration appeared concerned about it.
The video quickly went viral on social media, drawing attention as the criticism came from a BJP MP.
The New Indian Express contacted Dholakia for his response to the viral video but received no reply. His publicist later briefed the local media on the issue.
Following the video's circulation, Dholakia's personal assistant, Bhavesh, said the video was recorded on Sunday and was shared privately with Surat Mayor Maya Mavani, Standing Committee Chairman Rajan Patel, Municipal Commissioner M. Nagarajan and city BJP president Paresh Patel.
“Govind Kaka had personally sent this video to the Mayor, Standing Committee Chairman, Municipal Commissioner and city BJP president only with the aim of improving the situation in Surat and awakening the system. We have no information about how this video came out and went viral on social media,” Bhavesh, Personal Assistant to Govind Dholakia told local media.
The clarification did little to quell the controversy, with opposition parties and social media users criticising the Surat Municipal Corporation over the condition of the roads.
The road shown in the video passes through Ichchapore, a major diamond manufacturing and trading hub that houses several diamond units, including business interests of the Dholakia family.
The incident has also raised questions over the Surat Municipal Corporation's claims of pre-monsoon preparedness, as the video highlighted the condition of a key road connecting the industrial area with the airport.