'PM Modi' Signboard Covered After Local Backlash At Surat Fish Market

A large white cloth now covers the prominent signboard at the entrance of Surat's newly constructed wholesale fish market, shielding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name and photo from public view after local pushback.

The signboard at the Nanpura-Lakkadkot market was covered by civic authorities and market representatives after its unapproved installation sparked sharp political backlash and a debate among local traders.

The controversy erupted soon after the completion of the Rs 3.9-crore project that featured a large board at the main gate explicitly identifying the complex as the 'Shree Narendra Modi Wholesale Fish Market'.

The opposition and local community members, including representatives from the Kahar-Maachi community, raised strong objections, questioning how the PM's name was displayed without an official resolution being passed by the municipal administration or an approval by the civic body's cultural committee.

The protesters also highlighted that attaching the prime minister's name to a non-vegetarian commercial facility without following legal and administrative protocols was inappropriate.

Read: Surat Fish Market Named After PM Modi Without Civic Body Approval, Row Erupts

Surat Municipal Corporation officials stepped in to inspect the site and handle the mounting political pressure. Faced with regulatory warnings and growing opposition, the market association agreed to cover the signboard in the presence of civic officials, ensuring that the prime minister's name is completely obscured from public sight for the time being.

The step to cover the board marks a swift turn in tone from the previous day, when tensions had flared within the market administration. Some office bearers had expressed anger over the administration's stance, with a female official threatening legal action and market association president Kalpesh Navsariwala going so far as to issue a self-immolation warning.

However, immediate pressure from civic authorities ultimately led the association to step back and follow official procedures.

Now, formal steps have been initiated to regularise the market's name through proper legal channels.

Navsariwala confirmed that following discussions with local corporator, Vrajeshbhai, a formal petition has been submitted to the chairman of the municipal standing committee, officially requesting permission to name the complex after PM Modi.

The association's letter highlights the central government's initiatives for the fisheries sector, specifically the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, noting that central assistance has significantly improved facilities for the fishing community. Market representatives maintain that naming the facility after the prime minister is intended as a tribute to these welfare contributions.

For now, the association has agreed that the white cloth will remain over the signboard until the municipal corporation passes an official resolution on the matter.