BJP leader's U-turn on Mahatma Gandhi-Modi comparsion, says 'take back my words'

Ambala, Haryana: Amid political uproar over the new Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) calendar featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi Haryana Minister Anil Vij has now taken a U-turn on his controversial statement on PM Modi and Mahatama Gandhi via Tweet. Vij now says that he takes back his words and the statemnet were his personal views and not party's stand.

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

Earlier he had said that the Modi is a bigger brand name than Mahatma Gandhi. Striking a fresh controversy, Vij claimed that after khadi stationary, Mahatma Gandhi would be removed from notes as well. "Since the time when Gandhi's name got associated with Khadi...it could not progress. The day Mahatma Gandhi came on the rupee, its devaluation started. Gradually, he will be removed from the notes also. It's good that Gandhi has been replaced with Modi...Modi is a bigger brand name. After Modi's association with khadi, there has been 14 percent increase in sale of the products," he said. In a big development, Mahatma Gandhi's picture weaving khadi on a simple charkha, wearing his trademark cloth has been replaced by Prime Minister Modi's picture in the same classic pose as that of the former in the KVIC diary and calendar. However, it took a new turn on Friday as sources said the calendar never featured the picture of Father of the Nation. Vij’s statement was massively slammed for his controversial statement. Even Bhartiya Janta Party sidelined him over this remark. BJP leader Shrikant Sharma said, “BJP strongly condemns statement of Anil Vij,its his personal remark & not party's stand. Mahatma Gandhi is our icon”.