Gandhi noted that Mahatma Gandhi viewed khadi as an expression of India’s productive strength and a reminder that the country’s democratic character rises from the participation of ordinary citizens. He highlighted that regional textiles across India—such as Assam’s traditional gamosa—are not merely items of daily use but symbols of local history, imagination and community pride. These threads, he said, are woven into the nation’s larger democratic narrative.
Extending the metaphor, he described India as a vast fabric created from the lives and aspirations of 1.4 billion people, strengthened by the choices they make through the ballot. Just as thousands of threads come together to form a single length of cloth, he said, India’s democratic structure is built from the equal worth and equal voice of every citizen.
Gandhi also criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging that its ideological framework is uncomfortable with the idea of complete equality among citizens—a principle he described as fundamental to the country’s democratic fabric.
In invoking khadi as a metaphor for democracy, Gandhi sought to underline both the moral foundations of India’s freedom movement and the continuing importance of safeguarding equality and participatory power in contemporary political life. His remarks add renewed focus to how cultural symbols from the independence era continue to shape conversations about India’s democratic future.
About The Author
Comment List