New Delhi: Speaking in the Parliament, Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi raised concerns over the deepening crisis faced by Banarasi saree and embroidery artisans, asserting that unemployment and official apathy are forcing thousands to abandon their centuries-old craft.
Artisans from Varanasi, who recently met Gandhi as part of a Jan Sansad delegation, said they remained excluded from government schemes despite being “the real makers of Make in India”, the Leader of Opposition alleged.
Gandhi while recounting his remarks in the House, said the Banarasi weaving and embroidery tradition, long regarded as a symbol of India’s cultural heritage, is now struggling for survival.
Once known globally for their export-quality workmanship, many artisans now find their looms and machines lying unused. Several told him they had been compelled to take up daily wage labour or drive rickshaws as work opportunities in the craft sector continued to shrink.
Artisans cited rising joblessness as Varanasi’s “harshest new reality”, particularly for the youth, many of whom are migrating to other States in search of employment. Some weavers pointed out that even essential tools such as needles were now being imported from China and Japan, questioning the efficacy of the “Make in India” initiative at the ground level.
Gandhi accused the government of encouraging monopolisation in the textile market by a few large capitalists, endangering the livelihoods of small artisans and eroding traditional production systems. He reiterated that a “democratic model of production” was crucial for preserving employment and sustaining India’s craft-based economy.
He said he would continue raising the concerns of artisans “from the streets to Parliament”, emphasising that India’s economic future remained closely linked to the resilience of its skilled workforce.