The Congress in Kerala is suddenly astir over khadi, more than a century after Mahatma Gandhi stirred India’s blood with the humble handspun, handwoven cloth.
But this time the white yarn seems to be dividing rather than uniting people in a state Congress unit known for being faction-ridden. The schism is between those who swear by khadi and those who don’t.
While senior male Congress leaders tend to sport pristine white, starched and ironed khadi shirts and dhotis, the younger brigade seem to favour trendy casual wear, from kurta-pyjamas to shirts and trousers.
It was party veteran Ajay Tharayil who kicked off the debate on khadi or khaddar — also called kadhar by some in Kerala — at a recent Youth Congress meeting when he saw most of the delegates wearing casual clothes.
Tharayil argued that khadi is not just a strong weapon against capitalism but also a symbol of secularism, since people from every religion wear it the same way.
Gandhi had introduced khadi in 1918 as part of the Swadeshi movement to promote economic self-reliance, turning the “livery of freedom” into the trademark attire of Congress leaders and workers.
However, khadi has come a long way from the days of Gandhi, when it symbolised the modest lifestyle of the freedom fighters.
Rabindranath Tagore with Mahatma Gandhi.
Congress leaders emphasised that anything other than “good” (expensive) khadi gets torn after five washes or so. So, they ask the dhobi to apply “strong starch” to make the clothes last longer.
The starch — and a good press — also protects against wrinkles. A smart look is de rigueur for a politician in the age of television and social media.
Abin Varkey, Youth Congress state vice-president, said a dhobi charges up to ₹150 to wash, starch and iron a khadi shirt-and-dhoti set. And a khadi shirt or dhoti cannot be worn beyond one day. So, wearing khadi is expensive, he said.
“I wear khadi only twice a week. I’m against those who insist that a Congress leader must wear only a kadhar dhoti and shirt,” he told The Telegraph.
But to senior Congress MP Benny Behanan, khadi has become a part of life. “No other clothing gives identity and charm like a good kadhar shirt and dhoti,” the MP from Chalakudy told this newspaper.
“When I am in New Delhi to attend Parliament, I wear a kurta. For the first few minutes, I feel as though something is amiss — as I miss my kadhar.”
The divide doesn’t seem to exist for Congresswomen — both young and old tend to wear white khadi saris with coloured borders to party events like meetings, marches and rallies. Unlike the senior male leaders, they generally dispense with the homespun cloth in their daily lives.
Some of the khadi enthusiasts took to it somewhat late. Senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan, son of former Kerala chief minister K. Karunakaran, began wearing khadi only after joining politics in 1987, when he was 30.
Muraleedharan said he had seen his father only in khadi throughout his life.
“Safari suits don’t give the same comfort as khadi. I possibly have more than 30 pairs of pure kadhar dhoti and shirt,” he told this newspaper.
New generation MPs like Shafi Parambil and Hibi Eden, both in their early 40s, however, are mostly seen in coloured casual wear. Senior MP Shashi Tharoor mostly wears kurta and pyjamas.
Former Youth Congress vice-president N.S. Nusoor has a somewhat cynical take on the non-khadi set: he believes they tend to stick piously to khadi until they have gained public stature – and then ditch it.
“I have never worn pants. For me, my identity is my khadi dhoti and shirt,” Nusoor said.
“The majority among the younger MLAs and MPs have chucked their kadhar clothing as they have by now gained the recognition they required from the public.”
The younger Congressmen shrug off such charges, arguing one should wear whatever makes one most comfortable.