Cong takes swing at Modi, says using charkha not equal to being a 'Gandhian'

Continuing to stoke the dying embers of the Khadi row, the Congress on Wednesday took a swing at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that one does not become a true Gandhian by simply associating with the iconic charkha or donning Khadi garb.

Reiterating Rahul Gandhi's statement accusing extreme rightist 'ideology' being responsible for death of Mahatma Gandhi, Congress leader Tom Vadakkan told ANI here that the grand old party was founded upon the idea of secularism, and would continue fighting till the murderous ideology is defeated.

"Mr. Rahul Gandhi said the absolute truth. It is a fight against ideology. That ideology killed Gandhi, using a charkha is no indication that you are a Gandhian, wearing Khadi or increasing the scale of it, as is falsely being projected in the media, would not make you a Gandhian", he said lashing out at PM Mod's recent Khadi-drive.

He added saying that this ideology is out there to hit out against tolerance and peaceful co-existence, and is "out to assassinate the pluralistic society of India".

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier hit back at the Congress over the earlier controversy on Prime Minister Modi's photos replacing Mahatma Gandhi on the calendar of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and said that Father of the Nation, khadi or charkha is not a sole proprietary of any political party.

"We don't subscribe to anybody's personal opinion. But the part is very clear that whether it is Gandhi ji, khadi or the charkha, it is not a sole proprietary of any political party, organisation or ideology. We must understand that khadi needs to be promoted and that is the intent of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)," BJP leader Shania NC said.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who ahead of the 2014 General Elections accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of being responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, on Monday appeared before a court in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi amidst campaigns for the upcoming assembly polls in five states.

After the hearing for the case that got adjourned till 3 March, Rahul Gandhi interacted with the media and said his fight was against the ideology that killed Mahatma Gandhi and replaced him in the poster of Gandhi Gramodyog.

"My fight is against an ideology, the ideology which was responsible for killing Gandhiji, the ideology that replaced him in the poster of the Gandhi Gramodyog," he said.

"Gandhiji resides in the hearts of people. He was killed but he cannot ever be deleted from people's hearts. That's the only reason I have come here," Rahul added.

The court in November 2016 had granted bail to the Congress vice-president in the case on the basis of personal surety.

The case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by Rajesh Kunte, an RSS member, over his speech in Bhiwandi on 6 March, 2014. He had allegedly said that it were the RSS people 'who had killed Mahatama Gandhi'.