Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari on Thursday suggested Bhimrao Ambedkar's photo on a new series of notes, a day after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal sought printing images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on the currency. In a tweet, Tewari said one side of the note can bear the image of freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi and the other can carry Dalit leader Dr. Ambedkar's photo.
"Why not Dr BabaSahib Ambedkar’s photograph on new series of currency notes ? One side the great Mahatma the other side Dr Ambedkar. Non violence,Constitutionalism & egalitarianism fusing in a unique Union that would sum up the modern Indian genius perfectly," Tewari, a Congress MP from Punjab's Anandpur Sahib, wrote in response to Kejriwal's appeal.
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Kejriwal's demand drew sharp reactions from the Congress with its Punjab unit chief Amrinder Singh Raja accusing Kejriwal of resorting to "competitive Hindutva" to outwit the BJP in poll-bound Gujarat.
During a media briefing, Kejriwal had appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes. "Despite trying our best, sometimes our efforts do not fructify if the gods and goddesses are not blessing us. I appeal to PM (Modi) to have images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on our currency (notes).If there is an image of Lakshmi-Ganesha on our currency (notes), our country will prosper. I will write to (the) prime minister in a day or two on this," he said.
His remarks did not go down well with the BJP either, which called it a political gimmick ahead of elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. “Their (AAP) minister, Gujarat chief and leaders have abused Hindu gods and said many things, and yet they are in the party. They're bringing new tactics to save face in polls. Those who objected to Ram Mandir have come with a new mask,” BJP MP and former Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari had said.
{{/usCountry}}His remarks did not go down well with the BJP either, which called it a political gimmick ahead of elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. “Their (AAP) minister, Gujarat chief and leaders have abused Hindu gods and said many things, and yet they are in the party. They're bringing new tactics to save face in polls. Those who objected to Ram Mandir have come with a new mask,” BJP MP and former Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari had said.
{{/usCountry}}(With PTI inputs)