The Real Story Behind Khadi Udyog ‘Satyagraha’: BJP vs Shiv Sena

A predictable tale of how both the BJP and the Shiv Sena have used the Mahatma for political gains.

A group of Khadi Commission employees held silent protest on Thursday. (Courtesy: Max Maharashtra)

The BJP government's decision to replace Gandhi's image with Modi's on the Khadi Udyog calendars is facing a lot of flak. Critics consider the move an attempt to not only glorify Modi's image, but also to erase the legacy of the Mahatma.

So when a group of employees of the Khadi Commission held a “soul-cleansing" satyagraha by wearing black bands on their mouths, we presumed that they were all selfless Gandhians, genuinely anguished by the BJP government’s decision.

They are probably not. The 'satyagrahis' are in fact members of the employees' union, run by the Shiv Sena. Also, the timing of their protest is suspicious.

There's dirty party politics going on inside the Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) offices across Maharashtra. This is happening ahead of two relevant elections: the municipal election in Mumbai and the election inside the KVIC. Both elections are scheduled for next month. And in both cases, it’s the BJP versus Shiv Sena.

Shiv Sena Settles Scores

Shiv Sena is technically a BJP ally, but it’s a toxic marriage. Leaders of both parties take potshots at each other every day. The head of the ‘Khadi Commission Karmachari Sena’ is the Shiv Sena MP from Vidarbha, Anand Adsul. He was state Finance minister in the Vajpayee government, but was not included in the Modi government.

Another mastermind behind these protests is Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai, who is Uddhav Thackeray’s right hand man. He is the leader of Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti, a body of the Shiv Sena that fights for jobs for Marathi manus in central government offices, banks and in the private sector.

Desai was to be sworn in as a minister in Modi’s government, but had left Delhi a couple of hours before the oath-taking ceremony as he was offered an MoS post (with an independent charge) instead of a Cabinet berth.

Desai is involved in seat-sharing talks with the BJP and is bargaining hard for each and every seat. While both parties are trying every trick in the book to put pressure on the other, some see these protests at KVIC as an attempt to embarrass the BJP and put it on the back foot.

The calendar was released last week, but the protests took place only when talks for seat-sharing began. Moreover, Modi’s photo had replaced Gandhi’s image in the 2016 calendar as well, but no one protested then. Those who held their “satyagraha” yesterday didn’t have satisfactory answers as to why they didn’t protest last year.

Politics In Khadi Commission

(Photo: The Quint)

‘Khadi Commission Karmachari Union’ is the BJP’s union inside the KVIC, which has 2100 employees across India. BJP MP and minister Prakash Javadekar is its chairman. This union won the KVIC elections 2 years ago. Fresh elections are likely to be held next month. Since members of this union are employees of the central government, they cannot speak on record. But one of them spoke to The Quint on the condition of anonymity:

They are doing this for BMC polls. This is pure politics. Modi ji has done so much for Khadi. Khadi sales have gone up because of him. What’s wrong then if his image is used?

Employees of the Shiv Sena union were also unwilling to speak on record as they fear disciplinary action. But The Quint spoke with Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai, who has played an active part behind the scenes.

It’s wrong to connect protests over such an act with elections. And they should also keep in mind what’s to be done ahead of elections. If they feel that Modi can help sell more Khadi products, then they should tell us if Khadi sales were falling when Mahatma Gandhi’s photo was used.

Anil Desai, Shiv Sena MP

Earlier the BJP was accused of appropriating Gandhi. Now Shiv Sena, which has admired Nathuram Godse and Adolf Hitler, has found it in their interest to praise the Mahatma!

Bapu is a cheque that every bank accepts. It has been a political tradition to use Bapu without sincerity. They are both ideologically not in tune with Bapu or khadi. The Shiv Sena’s love for Bapu is put-on, but the BJP does it with finesse and in a cunning way.

Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma’s great grandson

The Khadi Commission head office at Vile Parle in Mumbai is divided between two rival camps. One has put up pictures of Shivaji and Bal Thackeray. The other is a group of Modi admirers. A lonely statue of the Mahatma stands quietly in the middle with it’s eyes shut.