DMK demands withdrawal of new currency notes having Devanagari numerals

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Tiruchi Siva (DMK) said new currency notes have Devanagari numerals printed on them in contravention of the Constitution.

DMK on Wednesday condemned the use of ‘Devanagari’ numerals on the new 500 and 2000 rupee notes as ‘unconstitutional’ and sought its withdrawal, saying international numerals should be used as was done in other currency notes.

An Indian bank employee checks stacks of new 2000 rupee notes in Ahmedabad on November 11, 2016. (AFP File Photo)

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Tiruchi Siva (DMK) said new currency notes have Devanagari numerals printed on them in contravention of the Constitution.

Citing provisions in the Constitution, he said only international numerals can be used on currency notes.

Using Devanagari on currency notes can be done only after passage of a law in Parliament, which has not been done in the present case, Siva said.

Preference to Hindi-speaking groups will alienate non-Hindi speaking people, he said.

Siva said he condemns the move and demanded that international numerals be used on the new notes.