New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s formula for the country’s economic revival — putting the images of deities on currency notes — has raised hackles, with Muslim leaders accusing him of playing the polarisaion card to garner political benefits. Elections for the Gujarat assembly and the Delhi municipal corporation are scheduled to be held this year, and Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party is a significant player in both.
“This (statement) has got nothing to do with the love of Gods. This is an attempt to play with people’s religious sentiments and he is taking his lessons from none other than the Prime Minister himself,” said Kamal Farooqui, member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
Farooqui, a lawyer by profession, clarified, however, that these were his personal views.
He added: “The BJP has taught people that polarisation can yield rich political dividends and if Kejriwal is now going to take that line instead of talking about schools (a reference to the AAP’s declared focus on improving education standards, among other initiatives), like he used to, he is merely certifying what people have always suspected — that he is the B team of the BJP. He does not see the writing on the wall that people are sick of these moves.”
Echoing Farooqui’s views, Ahmed Bukhari, the shahi imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid termed Kejriwal’s statement “rubbish”.
“I really should not dignify these statements with a response. (Kejriwal) does not talk about things that need to be talked about, issues that need to be raised and tries to create hate and discord between Hindus and Muslims,” Bukhari said.
While speaking to reporters at a press conference Wednesday, the Delhi CM had called for including the images of Lakshmi-Ganesh on currency notes to get India’s economy on the development track.
“We can all see that our economy is not recovering. We all want India to become a developed country and for that lot of work needs to be done. But all efforts will be only successful when there will be gods and goddesses’ grace on us,” Kejriwal had said.
He added: “Today, I appeal to the central government that our currency has a picture of Gandhi ji on one side, it should be kept as it is, but on the other side, pictures of Lakshmi ji and Ganesh ji should be included”, claiming that the idea came to him during the Diwali Puja at home.
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‘Rupee will strengthen against dollar when policies right’
Kejriwal’s comment pushed many other Muslim leaders to accuse the AAP national convenor of following on the BJP’s path of polarisation politics.
“There is a clear attempt by the AAP to change its political position and take on a more right-wing approach and this comes just weeks ahead of the elections in Delhi and Gujarat. Clearly, the BJP is worried about AAP gaining ground in Gujarat for a reason,” said a senior functionary of a Muslim organisation, who did not want to be named.
He was referring to several meetings of BJP leaders with party workers where they, including union Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya have expressed worry about AAP’s increasing footprint in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Islamic scholar and secretary general of the National Ulama Parliament and chairman Gram Chhatra Sansad Dr Maulana Kalbe Rushaid told ThePrint that Kejriwal’s statement befits a religious person, but not a person of the stature of Arvind Kejriwal, who has been an officer in the Indian Revenue Service.
“Religion is a good thing and it gives us strength to do many things, but like in Islam we say that God will cure but you still need to have medicines, rupee will strengthen against the dollar when the policies are right for that, not when Gods appear on currency notes,” said Rushaid.
He added: “Polarisation is not really a dirty word in politics. Parties that cannot do it accuse others of doing it. Congress says BJP polarises Hindus, BJP says Congress polarises Muslims. But the question, if we apply Kejriwal’s formula is this — would the Pakistani rupee become equivalent to Indian currency in a day should they include a religious inscription on it? Or will the British Pound recover if there is a cross on it?”
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
Also read: Is AAP turning Right or just wooing Hindus? What Kejriwal’s Ayodhya visit, Diwali puja mean