High GST rates, pandemic effect and Chinese locks… the triple whammy undercutting the livelihoods of thousands of workers and traders in Uttar Pradesh’s famed ‘Tala Nagri’ has emerged as a major concern this election and voters are looking for a candidate who will pull the lock industry out of the slump. The Rs 4,000 crore industry of Aligarh, where lock making is likened to an art dating back to the Mughals, is not so robust anymore with shifting global market dynamics taking their toll. With Lok Sabha elections just two days away, the clamour for decisive action that will save the livelihood of the estimated one lakh people dependent on the lock industry is growing. And at the centre of the problems, say industry insiders, are high GST rates, which in turn have led to a surge in Chinese lock imports. “The steep GST rates have made it increasingly challenging for us to compete with Chinese locks flooding the market at significantly lower prices,” said Omvir Singh, owner of a cottage lock factory.

 

Traditionally a BJP supporter, Singh said he would however like to give another chance to the ruling Government in the upcoming elections. “I was hopeful that the incumbent MP would be replaced because he did nothing for us in the past 10 years despite relying on our votes as we are his core-voter base but for Modi and Hindutva, I will give this Government a last chance,” he said. Several smaller manufacturers indicated that they have been compelled to cease operations due to their inability to withstand the competition, coupled with the burden of high taxes and the adverse effects of pandemic-induced lockdowns on their businesses. What they need, said several stakeholders, is a candidate capable of addressing their grievances and rejuvenating the industry’s prospects. Aligarh votes on April 26 in the second phase of the elections. In the fray are incumbent BJP MP Satish Kumar Gautam, Samajwadi Party’s Birendra Singh and Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Bunty Upadhyay. Many in this western Uttar Pradesh town, once synonymous with the craft of lock-making, were wary of being identified.