Treat Khadi As ‘National Fabric’

New Delhi: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has appealed to the citizens to treat khadi as a 'National Fabric' and promote its use extensively. He called upon celebrities from various fields to come forward and promote the use of Khadi in a big way.

Vice President was speaking at the launch of the 'Khadi India Quiz Contest' organized as part of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). Urging everyone to take part in the 'Khadi India Quiz Contest', he said, the contest was an interesting way of taking us back to our roots as it recollects the historic moments of our freedom struggle and the unparalleled contribution of our great freedom fighters. Recalling his visit to Dandi on April 6th this year to attend the concluding ceremony of the ceremonial ‘Dandi March’ organised as part of ‘Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the Vice President said that interacting with the marchers who had participated in the ceremonial Dandi March gave him an opportunity to relive the moments of India’s past glory and termed it as "a very enriching experience".

Describing India’s freedom struggle as a saga of bravery, resilience and devout patriotism, the Vice President mentioned how the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi galvanized the masses across the length and breadth of the country in the fight against colonial rule. Observing that men and women from all sections and all hues participated in the freedom struggle, he said “It indeed was an unparalleled phenomenon in the annals of human history”

The Vice President recalled the historical relevance of Khadi and said it was a binding force for the masses during the freedom movement. Shri Naidu mentioned how Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1918 started the Khadi movement to generate a source of income for the poverty-stricken masses and later turned it into a powerful symbolic tool against foreign rule.

The Vice President called upon educational institutions to explore using Khadi for uniforms. He said that it will not only give students an opportunity to experience the many benefits of Khadi but will also help them connect with our great freedom fighters and freedom movement. "Due to its porous texture, Khadi is eminently suitable for our local climatic conditions," he added. He appealed to the youth to make Khadi a fashion statement and promote its use among everyone with passion.