Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij. (File Photo)Haryana Minister Anil Vij said Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a better brand name than Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. His remarks came in connection with the ongoing controversy over the photo of the PM replacing that of Gandhi in the 2017 wall calendar and table diary published by the Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The cover photo on the calendar and the diary showed PM Modi weaving khadi on a large ‘charkha’ in the same pose as Gandhiji.

“It’s good that Modi’s photo replaced that of Gandhi’s in the calendar. Modi is a better brand name,” Vij was quoted saying by news agency ANI.

“Jab se Khadi ke saath Gandhi ka naam juda hai, khadi uth hi nahi saki. Khadi doob gayi (From the time Gandhi’s name has been associated with Khadi, the industry has never been able to stand up. Khadi has drowned),” Vij said.

The controversial Haryana minister, who is in-charge of health, sports and youth affairs in the BJP government, even went on to say that the rupee has devalued from the time Gandhi’s photo started appearing on currency notes.

“Gandhi ka aisa naam hai ki jis din se note pe chhapi hai tasveer us din se note ki devaluation ho gayi (Gandhi’s name is such that from the day his photo started appearing on currency notes, the note has devalued),” Vij told ANI.

The BJP soon distanced itself from Vij’s remarks saying the party does not endorse it.

“It is his personal opinion and has nothing to do with the party,” Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said.

Earlier on Thursday, Mahatma Gandhi was replaced on the covers of the KVIC 2017 wall calendars and table diaries by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The calendars and diaries published by the Khadi Village Industries commission saw PM Modi’s pictures, which comes as a major surprise to many. According to IANS, most of the employees were shocked to see the photo of the PM in the same iconic charkha pose as the Father of the nation. Reports suggest that the employees at the KVIc who were shocked at the development observed a silent protest at the Vile Parle headquarters during the lunch hours on Thursday. The employees were seen gathering and praying to a statue of Mahatma Gandhi and wore black bands over their mouths as a sign of protest.

Meanwhile, Mahatma Gandhi’s own family, Tushar Gandhi said that the charkha on the KVIC calendar and diary was a photographic prop and was a planned strategy to gain credibility.

Meanwhile, KVIC Chairman Vinay Saxena told reporters that the case was not unusual as there have been certain deviations in the past. Saxena told IANS that there was no question of ignoring him as the entire khadi industry was based on his philosophy. Although Saxena added that PM Modi was the Khadi’s biggest brand ambassador and his vision matched that of the KVIC. He added that PM Modi’s idea of ‘Make in India’ was the same as theirs, which was to make villages self-sufficient. He had gone on to say that PM Modi was also a youth icon.

http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/narendra-modi-has-bigger-brand-image-mahatma-gandhi-will-be-removed-from-currency-as-well-anil-vij-haryana-minister/507772/