A picture claiming that three masks are being sold at
Rs 999 by Khadi India is being shared widely on social media platforms. The poster with
the photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ‘Make in India’ logo and the Khadi
India trademark ‘Charkha’ is being criticised by netizens.

A user wrote “As institution upon institution
caves in, what virus are you looking to protect ourselves from? Here’s the
virus. Gandhi gone?! And, replaced by Modi??? As someone asked, what next? The
charkha? To be replaced by a Ram Mandir silhouette? One is not even wondering
at the efficacy and the pricing of these masks.” 

Refuting the claim, Khadi and Village Industries
Commission (KVIC) shared a series of tweets.

Khadi India said that a Chandigarh resident Khushboo was selling masks under the brand name Khadi.

The tweet read, “#KVIC has filed a police complaint against
Chandigarh resident Ms Khushboo for selling face masks in the name of Khadi
with Hon’ble PM’s photograph. Any misuse of brand name Khadi will be strictly
dealt with.” 

KVIC chairperson Vinai Kumar Saxena tweeted about the same and wrote, “KVIC has taken a strict note of selling face masks fraudulently in the name of Khadi & unauthorizedly using Hon’ble PM’s photograph. A police complaint has been filed in Chandigarh against the seller. Any attempt to misuse brand name Khadi will be strictly dealt with.”

It further clarified that price of khadi cotton and
silk ranges between Rs 30 and Rs 100.