I never said khadi should not be used: Rahul

Rahul Gandhi has denied that he had advocated not insisting on khadi or abstinence for joining Congress.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday dismissed reports that he had advocated party not insisting on wearing of khadi or abstinence as pre-requisites for joining the organisation.

“I wear khadi daily. I feel comfortable wearing it. I never said khadi should not be used. I only raised the issue of land ceiling which is already a law. Otherwise… this is the only issue I raised,” he told a press conference at the UPCC office in Lucknow.

He was denying reports in the media last week that at the Congress Working Committee meeting, in which he had made a debut, he had said the party should not insist on “non-verifiables” for enrolling as a Congress member.

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Media had reported that Gandhi had advocated dropping use of khadi and insistence on keeping away from alcohol as a pre-requisite for membership.

Coming to his aid, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh said, Rahul Gandhi neither raised the issue of khadi nor liquor. “The media had mis-reported his speech and we deny it,” Singh said adding he was doing it because he was present there.

Gandhi only raised “practical” issues, he said adding khadi is Congress’ identity and it will be a permanent identity. “It (khadi) is a symbol against economic exploitation,” he added.