Sonia Gandhi criticizes polyester Indian flags, advocates for khadi

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has strongly criticized the central government for its widespread adoption of machine-made polyester flags, calling for the restoration of khadi as the exclusive fabric for the Indian national flag.

In an article published in The Hindu, Gandhi emphasized that khadi should be revered as a symbol of national pride and heritage.

Gandhi highlighted that the Flag Code of India has traditionally mandated that the national flag be made from "hand-spun and hand-woven wool, cotton, or silk khadi bunting." She expressed concern over the recent shift towards machine-manufactured polyester flags, often made with imported materials from countries like China.

She pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign in the days leading up to Independence Day provided an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the national flag. However, Gandhi accused Modi of moral duplicity, noting that while the prime minister encourages respect for the national flag, the government's promotion of polyester flags undermines the symbolic significance of khadi.

Khadi, a fabric famously spun by Mahatma Gandhi during India's independence movement, carries deep historical and cultural meaning, Sonia Gandhi said. She noted that khadi has long been associated with India's struggle for freedom and modernity. The original Indian flag even featured the charkha, a spinning wheel, as its central emblem, underscoring khadi's importance.

Gandhi criticized the government's decision to amend the Flag Code in 2022, allowing for the inclusion of polyester fabric and exempting polyester flags from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), effectively placing them on the same footing as khadi flags. She argued that this move has marginalized khadi, which should instead be honored as a vital part of India's identity.

She also drew attention to the plight of the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha (KKGSS), the only national flag manufacturing unit accredited by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The KKGSS recently went on an indefinite strike to protest what they see as the state's neglect of India's khadi industry.

Gandhi further pointed out that India, which was once a global hub for polyester manufacturing, has now become a net importer of polyester yarn, mainly from China. She called this development a "shameful inversion" of national pride, especially given the ongoing border tensions between India and China.

Sonia Gandhi's article also criticized the government's broader disinterest in supporting India's handloom and handicraft traditions. Since 2014, she argued, the government has favored large corporate interests, leading to the decline of micro, small, and medium enterprises, including those in the handloom sector.

She cited the impacts of demonetization, the GST, and the unplanned COVID-19 lockdown as factors that have driven many handloom workers out of their professions.

Gandhi lamented the continued burden of GST on handloom workers, noting that their calls for exemptions have gone unheeded. She also criticized the newly launched Vishwakarma Yojana for excluding handloom spinners and weavers.

The Congress leader concluded by condemning the government's failure to promote Indian handlooms on the global stage.

At a time when sustainable sourcing and fair trade are gaining popularity worldwide, she argued that khadi, the fabric of Gandhi's satyagraha, should be celebrated internationally. Instead, even within India, khadi is being stripped of its identity, with semi-mechanized products being sold under the same label as traditional hand-spun khadi.