Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah unleashed a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of abandoning Mahatma Gandhi’s khadi legacy post-Independence, while touting the Modi government’s transformative efforts that propelled the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) turnover to a staggering ₹1.7 lakh crore in 2024-25, up from ₹33,000 crore in 2014-15. Speaking at the ‘Khadi Karigar Mahotsav’ in Rohtak, Shah declared, “Few companies in India boast such a massive turnover,” crediting the BJP-led government’s relentless focus on reviving the iconic swadeshi fabric.
“Congress forgot khadi after Independence,” Shah charged, arguing that their neglect squandered its potential to combat unemployment and foster self-reliance. “If the work we’ve done in the last 11 years had started in 1947, India would never have faced joblessness.” He highlighted Mahatma Gandhi’s use of khadi as a weapon against poverty during the freedom struggle, noting how it empowered millions of weavers and fueled the swadeshi movement. “Gandhi’s khadi mantra gave momentum to our fight for independence, but Congress let it fade,” he said.
Shah credited PM Narendra Modi for breathing new life into khadi, first as Gujarat CM and later through national initiatives like ‘Mann Ki Baat’, where Modi urged citizens to embrace the fabric. The result? A robust marketing and packaging system that turned khadi into a symbol of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. “Wearing khadi isn’t just fashion—it’s a feeling of swadeshi pride,” Shah emphasized. The KVIC’s growth, he added, reflects job creation for lakhs of artisans, with 80% of khadi workers being women, bolstering rural economies.
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The Rohtak event, held at Maharshi Dayanand University and themed “Swadeshi Se Swaavlamban,” saw Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini join Shah in distributing modern toolkits to over 2,200 artisans. Organized by the KVIC under the Ministry of MSME, the festival also facilitated ₹301 crore in margin money under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), alongside advanced machinery to boost productivity. Shah noted that khadi’s resurgence has spurred exports to 70 countries, with sales outlets expanding from 1,600 in 2014 to over 4,000 today, and digital platforms like Amazon amplifying its reach.
Taking a swipe at Congress’s “Bharat Jodo” campaigns, Shah quipped, “They walk for unity, but we weave it—khadi unites India’s soul.” He projected KVIC’s turnover to hit ₹2 lakh crore by 2027, aligning with Modi’s vision of a $5 trillion economy. As artisans cheered, Shah’s message was clear: khadi’s revival isn’t just economic—it’s a cultural and patriotic triumph.
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