Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has a solution to the country’s economic progress and prosperity: print images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha on new banknotes. His request, however, drew strong reactions from the BJP, which called it a “failed attempt” to mask the “ugly” anti-Hindu face of the AAP ahead of the upcoming elections.
Claiming that India’s economy was not in good shape, Kejriwal told a press conference that the country needed a lot of effort to get the economy back on track with the “blessings of our gods and goddesses”.
”Today I ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Center that our banknotes have the image of Mahatma Gandhi on one side. It should remain as it is, but on the other side there should be an image of Ganesha and Lakshmi,’ he said.
Stating that he was not asking to redeem all the banknotes in circulation, Kejriwal said his suggestion was to include the images of Ganesha and Lakshmi on the banknotes printed every month.
“That way, a significant amount of these banknotes will be in circulation in a while,” he added.
The national AAP organizer said his suggestion was not against anyone, adding that even Indonesia, a Muslim country with less than 2% Hindus and over 85% Muslims, had images of Lord Ganesha on his banknotes.
He claimed that the Indian economy was going through a tricky phase, adding that the rupee was weakening against the US dollar every day and the common man had to bear the brunt of it.
On Tuesday, the rupiah rose 7 paise to close at 82.81 against the US dollar as lower crude oil prices boosted investor confidence.
When asked how the idea came to him, Kejriwal said he thought the banknotes should have the images of the two deities when performing Diwali puja on Monday.
”We want India to become a developed and prosperous country. We must build schools, hospitals in large numbers and develop infrastructure for electricity and roads to make this possible. We all make efforts but they only bear fruit when God blesses us.
“The whole country will be blessed if the banknotes bear the images of Lord Ganesha-Goddess Lakshmi,” the chief minister stressed.
Going after Kejriwal, the BJP said his claim was up to a U-turn as he was “trying” to be a Hindu.
His hypocrisy is apparent, BJP spokesman Sambit Patra told reporters as he noted that the Aam Aadmi party government had recently warned people celebrating Diwali with firecrackers of legal action.
Patra also referred to the presence of AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam at a controversial religious conversion event recently where a pledge was made not to worship Hindu deities.
Gautam “abused” and “mocked” deities, but he remains in the AAP, Patra said, saying his dismissal as a minister in the Kejriwal government was eyewash.
BJP North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari also slammed the AAP leader’s request, calling it a “failed attempt” to hide the AAP’s “ugly” anti-Hindu face from view of the AAP. upcoming elections.
He said if Kejriwal believed what he said then he should expel former Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam and AAP Gujarat unit leader Gopal Italia from the party for allegedly speaking out against deities Hindus. He demanded that Kejriwal show his respect for Sanatan Dharma by expelling Gautam and Italia from the party. “All these leaders… be it (Rajendra Pal) Gautam or the president of the Gujarat unit of the AAP are still in the party.” Kejriwal, who has so far shielded his party leaders who “have insulted Hindu gods and goddesses, trying to save his face for the elections,” Tiwari alleged, referring to the upcoming Delhi Municipal elections and in Gujarat Assembly.
“Without even a letter from you, we developed the Mahakal Corridor and started the construction of the Ram Temple which you opposed citing your grandmother,” the BJP MP said.
Leaning her weight on Delhi’s chief minister, AAP leader Atishi called on the BJP to back Kejriwal’s proposal.
“You (BJP) can continue to hate Arvind Kejriwal if you want but don’t at least hate Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. Do not hate their blessings. At least don’t hate the prosperity of this country.
“I want to ask the BJP with folded hands not to oppose this proposal just because they hate Aam Aadmi (AAP) party and Arvind Kejriwal,” the AAP MP told a press conference .
(This story has not been edited by the Devdiscourse team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
