The controversy surrounding removal of Mahatma Gandhi's picture from the calendar and diary of Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) took a new turn on Friday as sources said that the calendar never featured the picture of Father of the Nation.
Sources added there is no question of replacing Mahatma Gandhi's picture with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"There was no picture of Mahatma Gandhi on KVIC diary or calendar in the year 1996 , 2002 , 2005 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2016, so there is no question of replacing his picture with that of Modi," said sources.
Sources asserted that those igniting the controversy should understand that the sale of khadi was limited to two to seven percent during the 50 years of Congress rule whilethere can be seen an unprecedented growth of 34 percent in thesales of khadi products during the last two years of Prime Minister Modi-led government.
In what came as a shock for many, Mahatma Gandhi's picture weaving khadi on a simple charkha, wearing his trademark cloth has been replaced by Prime Minister Modi's picture in the same classic pose as that of the former.
Meanwhile, a section of the KVIC workers also staged a protest today and sought to know as to why Mahatma Gandhi's image was removed.