The AAP on Wednesday backed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's statement that people will get divine blessings for financial gains if images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha are printed on currency notes in India.
Requesting the BJP to support Kejriwal's proposal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP MLA Atishi said, "You can continue to hate Arvind Kejriwal if you want to, but don't hate Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha at least. Don't hate their blessings. Don't hate this country's prosperity at least. I want to request the BJP with folded hands not to oppose this proposal just because they hate the AAP and Kejriwal."
Earlier, Kejriwal said that the present currency notes needn’t stop but the new ones being printed every month can have the images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi, and slowly it can come in circulation.
Lamenting the fact that the India economy was not in a good shape, he said the country was passing through a delicate situation with the rupee depreciating against the US Dollar on a daily basis.
“We all want India to be rich and every family here to be prosperous. We have to open schools and hospitals on a large scale," he added.
Citing the example of Indonesia, Kejriwal said, “Indonesia is a Muslim country. There are 85 per cent Muslims and only 2 per cent Hindus but there is a picture of Ganesh ji on the currency. If Indonesia can do it, we can do it too," he said.
When asked about how the idea came to him, Kejriwal said he felt that currency notes should have the images of the two deities while performing Diwali puja on Monday. "We want India to become a developed and prosperous country. We have to build schools, hospitals in large numbers and develop infrastructure for electricity and roads to make this possible. All of us make efforts but they only bear fruits when God showers blessing on us,” he said.
Hitting out at the BJP, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "Just because Arvind Kejriwal has requested for this, the BJP is uncomfortable with the proposal. Why is the BJP opposing it? The BJP and the Prime Minister should make their stand clear on this matter," he said.
Criticising the BJP, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said the real face of the saffron party was out in the open. “BJP leaders have a problem with Maa Lakshmi and Shri Ganesh's image on Indian currency notes. Kejriwal has presented a positive suggestion for the economy of the country like a progressive Opposition leader,” he said.