"Congress Buried Mahatma Gandhi's Policies," Says Union Minister

Union minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday accused the Congress of burying Mahatma Gandhi's policies despite using his name for political gains.

"Mahatma Gandhi not only boycotted Manchester clothes but he also provided khadi as a medium of earning source for women and independence struggle," said the union minister of state for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

"But after Independence struggle, Gandhiji was used by political leaders, particularly the Congress, to take political benefit. It buried Gandhiji's policies," Mr Singh alleged while addressing a gathering on the inaugural day of 'Rashtriya Khadi and Saras Mahastov' at Ranchi's Morahbadi ground.

Mr Singh said Mahatma Gandhi's policies were to provide jobs in every household through khadi. He alleged that after the Congress came to power khadi slowly was considered as 'netaji's dukan' (political leaders attire).

However, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, he appealed to the people that khadi is not just a clothing but also a 'vichar' (ideology), Mr Singh said, adding that if you purchase clothes made of khadi, it will light a lamp of the house as the money goes to a poor family.

With the Prime Minister's appeal, khadi sale has increased three-fold from the 2014/15 sale of Rs 811 crore, Mr Singh said, adding students and office-goers are wearing khadi jackets with pride.

PM Modi also gave khadi jackets to the world leaders at the BRICS summit, hinting that khadi was the medium of independence and also the medium for income.

Mr Singh referred to a village in his Nawada constituency, where he has taken up a village under the 'Adarsh gram' yojana where solar power is being used for khadi wheel and women are getting jobs there.

"Gai aur mai (cow and mother) together will shape the village economy in the coming days ... cow urine and dung are being used as fertilizer ...," Mr Singh said.