A controversy erupted over Narendra Modi’s photo appearing on the diary and the calendar of Khadi and Village Industries Corporation (KVIC), with Congress and some others targeting the Prime Minister, whose office termed the row as “unnecessary”. A section of KVIC has protested the exclusion of Mahatma Gandhi’s photo from the diary and the calendar even though they have no objection to Modi’s picture appearing in these.
“The Mangalayaan effect,” Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, implying that Modi was trying to take credit for promotion of KVIC like he had allegedly done after India’s spacecraft Mangalayaan landed on the Mars.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Khadi & Gandhiji are symbols of our history, self-reliance & struggle. Removing Gandhiji’s photo is a sacrilegious sin.” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “The great symbol of ‘charka’ (wheel) and Mahatma Gandhi now gets replaced by Modi babu. In the calendar and diary of Khadi (KVIC) 2017, Modi replaced Mahatma Gandhiji. Gandhiji is the Father of the Nation. Modiji what???”
The Mangalyaan effecthttps://t.co/NnkbJ4i7vx
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 13, 2017
The Prime Minister ‘s Office (PMO) said the controversy was “unnecessary” as “there is no rule in KVIC that it’s diary and calendar should have only Gandhiji’s photo.” PMO sources said in the past also, there was no picture of Mahatma Gandhi on such KVIC material.
“In the calendars and diaries of 1996, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, there was no picture of Gandhi. So there is no question of Modi replacing Gandhiji’s picture,” the sources said.
“Those stoking the controversy over the issue should realize that during Congress rule of 50 years, the sale of khadi remained restricted to 2 per cent to 7 per cent but in last two years, the sale has seen an unprecedented jump of 34 per cent. This is because of PM’s efforts to popularise khadi,” they added.
The PMO said “Modi is an icon of the youth and the growing popularity of khadi in the world is testimony to this.” The PMO said the KVIC diary and calendar has photographs of Modi distributing charkha among poor women, they said.
Mamata and Rahul hit out
The great symbol of charka and Mahatma Gandhi now gets replaced by Modi babu 1/2
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 13, 2017
In the calendar and diary of Khadi (KVIC) 2017 Modi replaced Mahatma Gandhi ji. Gandhiji is the Father of the Nation. Modi ji what??? 2/2
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 13, 2017
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her dissatisfaction over Mahatma Gandhi’s picture being “replaced” by that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2017 calendar and diary of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). “The great symbol of charka and Mahatma Gandhi now gets replaced by Modi babu. In the calendar and diary of Khadi (KVIC) 2017 Modi replaced Mahatma Gandhiji. Gandhiji is the Father of the Nation. Modiji what???,” she said in a statement.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took a dig at Narendra Modi over the Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) replacing the image of Mahatma Gandhi with that of the Prime Minister in its wall calendar and table diary for 2017. “The Mangalayaan effect,” the Congress Vice President tweeted, implying that Modi was trying to take credit for the promotion of khadi and village industries, an idea which had been close to the heart of the Father of the Nation, as he had allegedly done after India’s spacecraft Mangalayaan landed on the Mars.
KVIC defends move, says ‘no rule or tradition’ of using only Mahatma’s pic
Defending the move of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to publish Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photo on its 2017 calendar and table diary, KVIC chairman V K Saxena said there is “no rule or tradition” that only Mahatma Gandhi’s picture can be published on these items.
The explanation came amid protests from various sections of society especially Gandhians and from opposition political parties, who alleged that KVIC is trying to “replace” Mahatma Gandhi with Modi through such acts.
Refuting such allegations, Saxena claimed the Prime Minister’s appeal actually helped in boosting the sale of Khadi and eventually helped lakhs of Khadi weavers.
“I want to first ask whether anyone can replace Gandhiji? Is Gandhiji’s stature so small that he can be replaced so easily ? He can… never ever can be replaced. This whole controversy is unnecessary and out of the context,” Saxena told PTI.
“There is no such rule or tradition that we can publish only Gandhiji’s photo on our calendar or on the cover of diary. His (Gandhiji’s) photo was not there in 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013 and 2016,” the KVIC chairman said.
KVIC is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament. Saxena was appointed as Chairman of KVIC in October 2015 by the Centre.
Source: dnaindia.com