Haryana minister Anil Vij withdraws 'controversial'​ Modi-Gandhi remarks, says opinion is personal

Ambala: "Narendra Modi is a better brand' than Mahatma Gandhi whose image did not help khadi and led to devaluation of Indian currency" – Haryana Minister Anil Vij, whose remarks on Mahatma Gandhi drew widespread criticism, on Saturday withdrew his remarks and said the statements were only his personal opinion.

"The statement given by me in connection with Mahatma Gandhi was given in my personal capacity. To avoid hurting anyone's sentiments, I am withdrawing it," roundly assailed, tweeted today.

महात्मा गांधी पर दिया ब्यान मेरा निज़ी ब्यान है । किसी की भावना को आहत न करे इसलिए मैं इसे वापिस लेता हूँ । — ANIL VIJ Minister (@anilvijminister) January 14, 2017

"Ever since khadi became linked with Gandhi's name, khadi (industry) has not been able to rise and it has been on a decline. Gandhi has such a name that since the day his picture was printed on the currency notes, the currency's devaluation began," Vij had earlier said. He further said that Gandhi's image will be eventually removed from the currency notes too.

"It is a good move to replace Gandhi's image with Modi. Modi is a better brand than Gandhi. With the Modi brand name, Khadi sales increased," Vij told reporters in Ambala, which he represents in the state assembly.

He was responding to the controversy over Modi's photo on the calendars and diaries brought out by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for this year.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi assailed Vij for his remarks, which he promptly lapped up to target Modi, whom Congress has been accusing of being autocratic.

"Hitler and Mussolini were also very powerful brands," Rahul said in a tweet.

The Congress's media cell chief Randeep Surjewala reacted strongly to the Haryana minister's remark, saying Gandhi "can be killed, his photographs can be removed but he remains in the soul of India".

The "insulting" remarks by Vij were slammed by Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, who alleged it was part of a "well orchestrated" campaign by the the "high command" and the minister was speaking the language of RSS.

"Subjugate people and institutions and use the power of the state to stifle every dissenting voice. But Modiji, Anil Vij and BJP must remember that Mahatma Gandhi...You can kill him, you can remove his photograph, you can abuse Mahatma Gandhi, but Gandhi has always lived in the soul of India," Surjewala said.

RJD Chief Lalu Yadav said, "It is unfortunate for the country that Mahatma Gandhi is being insulted."

"Bapu gave us our freedom. Is the minister not ashamed for using such words for Gandhiji?" he said.

An embarrassed BJP quickly went into damage control, distancing itself from Vij's remark and condemning it. "We condemn these remarks. These are his personal comments," BJP spokesperson Shrikant Sharma said.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who had pipped Vij at the post for the top job after BJP's maiden triumph in the assembly elections in the state, said the remarks made by the Minister were in his personal capacity and the party does not endorse them.

Roundly assailed, Vij later withdrew his remarks. "The statement given by me in connection with Mahatma Gandhi was given in my personal capacity. To avoid hurting anyone's sentiments, I am withdrawing it," the Minister tweeted.

Modi's photographs on the calendars and diaries of state-run KVIC has kicked up a row, with opposition parties slamming the development, but the government and BJP have dismissed the controversy as "unnecessary".

KVIC chairman V K Saxena had yesterday defended the move, saying there is "no rule or tradition" that only Mahatma Gandhi's picture can be published on these items.