Haryana Minister Anil Vij on Saturday courted controversy with remarks that Mahatma Gandhi’s image did not help Khadi and caused devaluation of the currency, sparking widespread outrage
Youth Congress activists protest against the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s pictures from products of Khadi Gramodhyog Board, in Bhopal
Ambala: Haryana Minister Anil Vij on Saturday courted controversy with remarks that Mahatma Gandhi’s image did not help Khadi and caused devaluation of the currency, sparking widespread outrage with even his party BJP condemning the statements, following which he withdrew them.
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Haryana Minister Anil Vij. Pics/PTI
The senior BJP leader in Haryana, who is not a stranger to controversies, said it was good that Gandhi’s image has been replaced with that of PM Modi in the calendar and diary of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) as Modi is a “better brand”.
Asked about the controversy over Modi’s photo, Vij, a five-time MLA from Ambala Cantt, said, “Gandhiji’s name has no patent over Khadi. Since Gandhi’s name has been attached with Khadi, it has only gone down. When Gandhi’s image was put on notes, the currency also got devalued. It is a good move to replace Gandhi’s image with Modi. Modi is a better brand than Gandhi. With Modi, Khadi sales increased.”
On why the BJP government continued with Gandhi’s image on the new notes introduced after demonetisation, he said, “It will also go gradually.”
Vij’s remarks came even as the Opposition had been criticising the move to use photo of Modi in the calendar and the diary of KVIC and not that of Gandhi.
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