BENGALURU: Humble khadi, interwoven with India’s freedom struggle, is back in favour of political parties ahead of Gandhi Jayanti. Trying to push up the sales of the garment, Karnataka Small-Scale Industries Minister MTB Nagaraj has appealed to all elected representatives, including ministers, to buy khadi products from Khadi Gramodyog stores to help weavers who are in distress due to the pandemic and lockdowns. Political parties too are asking their workers to buy khadi products.
Khadi, launched in 1920 as a form of protest against the British by Mahatma Gandhi, was the favoured garment of politicians but has lost favour over the years.Nagaraj has written a detailed letter to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri, Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, ministers, MLA and MLCs asking them to visit Khadi Bhandars on Gandhi Jayanti Day on October 2 and purchase items to revive khadi organisations and fulfil Mahatma Gandhi’s dream.
Khadi and Gramodyog stores, which were set up to strengthen Gandhi’s idea of Gram Swarajya, are not making any profit. There are over 200 weaving organisations in Karnataka where over 20,000 weavers work. Kageri said, “I will discuss it with political parties to see if all members can wear khadi one day in every session to help the weavers.’’
BJP members in the State have started Khadi Abhiyan to mark Narendra Modi’s 20 years in power (he was sworn in as chief minister of Gujarat October 7, 2001), senior MLC and BJP State General Secretary N Ravikumar told The New Sunday Express. “We are urging every BJP party worker to buy khadi,” he said.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Saleem Ahmed said it is not new for them as the Congress manual mentions that khadi should be given preference. “BJP members are giving khadi a push as they seem not to know its value till now,” he added.