BJP today hit out at the Congress saying unnecessary controversy is being created on the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image in Khadi and Village Industries Commission, KVIC calendars.<br/><br/>Briefing reporters in New Delhi, party spokesman Sambit Patra said, there is no rule in the KVIC that only Mahatma Gandhi's picture can be published on calendars and therefore Mr Modi's image on calendars does not amount to violation of any rule. He said, the NDA government, in fact, is promoting the vision and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. He accused the Congress of politicising the issue. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Office also termed the controversy on Mr Modi's photographs on the diaries and calenders of KVIC as unnecessary and baseless. It said, in the past also, there were no pictures of Mahatma Gandhi on KVIC diaries and calenders in 1996, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013 and 2016 so there is no question of replacing Gandhi's picture by Mr Modi.<br/><br/>Prime Minister Modi has now become an icon of youth and has popularised Khadi products. It further said, the sale of Khadi products which remained restricted to two to seven per cent during 50 years of Congress rule, witnessed an unprecedented jump of 34 per cent during the last two years.<br/><br/>This is because of Mr Modi's efforts to persuade people to use Khadi products. Mr Modi's picture on calender is from a programme organised to distribute Charkha among poor women. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, Khadi and Gandhiji are symbols of Indian history, self-reliance and struggle and removing Gandhiji's photo is a sin.