Amit Shah urges citizens to embrace Khadi, Swadeshi

New Delhi, Oct 2: On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Thursday visited the Khadi India showroom at Connaught Place, where he purchased Khadi products and made the payment online.

Speaking on the occasion, Shah said Mahatma Gandhi “recognized the soul of India and awakened the common people to stand against the British,” weaving together ideas that continue to shape the nation’s future. He stressed that “two significant ideas—Khadi and Swadeshi—emerged from these elements,” and that the freedom movement “cannot be viewed separately from Khadi and Swadeshi.”

By giving the country these concepts, Gandhi not only strengthened the independence struggle but also “brought light into the lives of many poor people,” Shah noted.

The Home Minister pointed out that the revival of Khadi began in 2003 under Narendra Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. Since then, he said, Khadi has regained its place as a fabric of everyday use. “In the 11 years of Modi ji’s tenure, the sales of Khadi and village industry products have increased fivefold—from Rs. 33,000 crore to over Rs. 1.7 lakh crore,” he said.

Shah also credited Prime Minister Modi’s Mann Ki Baat programme with popularising Swadeshi and inspiring people to connect with economic development and the Make in India campaign. He said millions of families have pledged not to use foreign goods, and “similarly, millions of shopkeepers have resolved not to sell any foreign products in their shops.”

Appealing to citizens to strengthen the movement, Shah said: “Every family in the country should resolve to purchase Khadi products worth at least Rs. 5,000 annually. This will provide employment to millions of people and bring light into their lives.” He underlined that adopting Swadeshi was also about aligning with India’s long-term national goals. “When we adopt the vow of Swadeshi, we also align ourselves with the ambitious campaign to take India to the top position in the world by 2047,” Shah said. He urged people to make Khadi and Swadeshi “a part of our nature” and pass these values to future generations.