On Gandhi Jayanti, Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy, highlighting how the leader’s push for Swadeshi and Khadi transformed lives and fueled India’s freedom movement.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi’s Khadi India outlet on Thursday, Shah credited Gandhi with awakening the nation’s spirit. “Mahatma Gandhi recognized India’s true soul,” he said. “He rallied people to stand up to the British. Back then, India served as a giant market for British textile mills. By promoting Swadeshi—using homegrown products—and Khadi hand-spun cloth, Gandhi sped up the independence struggle and brought hope to countless poor families.”
Shah noted that Khadi and Swadeshi faded into the background over time. But in 2003, when Narendra Modi served as Gujarat’s Chief Minister, he kicked off a big revival campaign there. Fast forward to now: Since 2014, Khadi sales have skyrocketed hundreds of times over, reaching a whopping 1.7 billion rupees in turnover. “This is a massive win,” Shah told reporters.
He urged Indians to join the cause by spending at least Rs 5,000 a year on Khadi items like bedsheets, pillow covers, curtains, or towels. “Thousands of families have pledged to skip foreign goods at home, and lakhs of shopkeepers have stopped selling imports,” Shah said. “I call on everyone to make Swadeshi and Khadi thrive. Your purchases create jobs, light up lives for the poor, and support our goal of putting India at the world’s top spot by 2047.” ()
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