The advertisement promotes Khadi masks, which has images of Prime Minister Modi alongside ‘Make in India’ logo. The masks which are priced at Rs 999 for a pack of three were soon passed off as the official masks being sold by the KVIC themselves.
Various social media users, sharing these images of masks, accused the government of selling Khadi masks at a higher price. The trolls associated with the Congress party even mocked Prime Minister Modi as his image was on the advertisement and called him ‘virus’.
Few other social media users said that it was an unacceptable act by the government to sell the Khadi masks at Rs 999. Claiming that safety of Khadi masks was not even guaranteed, another user claimed that the government was using pandemic to promote Khadi.
As rumors began to circulate that the government was selling masks at a higher price, the Khadi India themselves clarified on Twitter stating that the masks that are being sold at a higher price as ‘Khadi masks’, were not official masks which are being distributed across the country by KVIC.
The Khadi India also said that the manufacturers of these masks were fraudulently using the name of Khadi, to sell their products. “Our legal team is looking into this matter and will take strict action against such promotions,” said Khadi India confirming that these mask did not belong to them.
With an increase in demand for masks amidst the corona virus pandemic, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) had recently launched online sales of khadi face masks for affordable rates.
The online sales of masks, which was to be sold at a nominal rate of Rs 30, was started as to benefit people in the remotest parts of the country, particularly those who cannot afford to move out of their houses or visit Khadi India outlets due to various constraints.
