A ₹200 note – photoshopped to feature Maratha king and icon Chhatrapati Shivaji – was tweeted Wednesday by BJP leader Nitesh Rane as a response to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s rather unique solution to concerns over the condition of the Indian economy.
Shortly before the photoshopped note was shared by Rane, the AAP leader had appealed to prime minister Narendra Modi to print currency notes with images of Hindu gods and goddesses – Ganesh and Lakshmi – to boost the government’s efforts to boost economic growth and halt the rupee’s slide against the dollar.
“Ye perfect hai…” Rane wrote as he shared the image of the photoshopped note.
The BJP leader added a cheeky smiley for extra effect.
Kejriwal’s suggestion – he even invoked Indonesia as an example, pointing out that government used photos of Ganesha on some of its notes.
“As I said we have to make a lot of effort to improve the economic situation…”
“But also with that, we need blessings from Gods and Goddesses. The whole country will get blessings if, on currency notes, there is a photo of Ganesh Ji and Lakshmi ji on one side and Gandhi ji on other side,” he said.
The advice was met with jibes and jabs by both the Congress and the BJP.
The latter party’s Delhi unit chief called the suggestion a political gimmick floated ahead of elections in BJP-ruled Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
“Their (AAP) minister, Gujarat chief and leaders abused Hindu gods… 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,” Manoj Tiwari said.
The BJP also accused Kejriwal of ‘political drama’ to divert attention from its ‘failed’ policies and its ‘anti-Hindu mindset’.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit blasted Kejriwal, calling the proposal ‘vote politics’ and labelling the AAP the BJP’s ‘B team’. “It is his vote politics. If he goes to Pakistan, he can also say I am Pakistani, so vote for me,” he said.