Gujarat Congress president Siddharth Patel said: “We know who placed these ads. They have been placed by the diamond unit owners who are close to the BJP and are lobbying for the relief package in a bid to reduce their losses. The Centre has already abolished all taxes on the industry.”

Members of the Surat Diamond Association and Surat Diamond Workers Association were not present at the meeting in Varachha.

But Surat Diamond Association president C P Vanani, who is known to have BJP antecedents, later said: “We have spoken to Congress leader Kadir Pirzada and told him that we wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi.”

He further said: “We don't know who published the ads. I have read the advertisement and one thing I want to say is that whatever is written in it is true.”

Incidentally, two days ago, M S University authorities had denied Rahul Gandhi permission to interact with the students, citing security reasons.