Says “Cong forgot khadi after Independence, PM Modi revived it”
Rohtak (Haryana): Stating that if the work done in the last 11 years had been undertaken after Independence then India would never have faced the problem of unemployment, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that the steps taken by Prime Minister Modi led regime have paved the way for the country to become self-reliant.
Addressing the ‘Khadi Karigar Mahotsav’ event at Rohtak, Shah said, “Mahatma Gandhi had used khadi during the country’s freedom movement to remove poverty and make the country self reliant.”
Taking a dig at the Congress he said, “The Congress forgot khadi after Independence while PM Modi led dispensation revived it. They (Congress) did not pay attention to Khadi and did nothing for its promotion.”
Shah said, “The turnover of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission has increased to Rs 1.70 lakh crore now from Rs 33,000 crore in 2014-15. Many companies in the country do not have such a big turnover.”
He said the beginning made by Mahatma Gandhi on khadi transformed the lives of lakhs of weavers in the country.
The ‘khadi mantra’ given by Mahatma Gandhi gave momentum to the freedom movement, he noted.
Shah said when Modi was Gujarat chief minister, he resolved to revive Khadi.
“Later, as Prime Minister, Modi, through his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, gave the message to the citizens to use Khadi. And see the result, Shah said referring to the turnover of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission now. A good system of khadi’s marketing and packaging was made and people were inspired,” he said.
When we wear khadi, it is not just a dress, but a feeling of ‘swadeshi’ and ‘Atmanirbharta’, Shah said
