Mumbai: The controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photo being featured on the Khadi and Village Industries Commission’s (KVIC) 2017 calendar shows no sign of dying down.
The KVIC has now sent a notice to Khadi Gramodyog Karmachari Sena (KGKS), the Shiv Sena-led union of khadi workers for their agitation against the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s photo from KVIC’s yearly calendar, and using Mr Modi’s picture in its place.
The workers had undertaken a one-day ‘Atmaklesh’ agitation at the KVIC’s headquarter in Vile Parle, Mumbai earlier this month.
The notice dated January 16 and sent by the deputy CEO to the general secretary of KGKS, asked an explanation for the protest on January 12. The notice said that the protest, held at KVIC’s Vile Parle office prayer hall, got publicity in social, TV and print media for two days.
The notice asks protesters if they had taken prior approval before conducting the agitation. It also asks the protesters if they had prior permission of authorities for talking to the media over issues. The sources said that KGKS has already replied to the notice, saying that the KGKS “had not gone to the media”. Meanwhile, KGKS chairman, Anandrao Adsul said, “KGKS workers have not done anything wrong. To protest against mistakes in a Gandhian way is everybody’s right.”
