The BJP on Wednesday cited past comments of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to claim that his demand for having images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes is the height of U-turn as he is "trying" to be a Hindu.
His hypocrisy is on show, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters as he noted that the Aam Aadmi Party government had recently warned people celebrating Diwali with firecrackers of legal action.
Patra also referred to AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam's presence at a controversial religious conversion event recently where pledge to not worship Hindu deities was taken.
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Gautam "abused" and "mocked" deities but he remains in the AAP, he said, claiming that his removal as a minister in the Kejriwal government was an eyewash.
The BJP spokesperson also noted that Kejriwal had once spoken against the construction of Ram temple and said a hospital should be built at the site in Ayodhya.
Internet is full of his "anti-Hindu" remarks, he said, and also referred to the alleged involvement of Tahir Hussain, then a AAP leader, in the Delhi riots.
The BJP spokesperson also raised Kejriwal's attack on BJP leaders for their support to the movie 'The Kashmir Files', which was based on the sufferings of Kashmiri Pandits following the outbreak of militancy in the Valley. He had mocked the movie and is now trying to be a Hindu, Patra claimed.
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Kejriwal had then rejected the BJP's demand to waive tax on the film and mocked its leaders' support to the movie.
The BJP leader claimed that Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi have their blessings on India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to his hardwork and commitment. That is why, India has gone on to become the fifth largest economy in the world from 11th in the last decade, he said.
It is due to the divine blessings that India is a leading economy and is acknowledged as a bright spot in the word amid fears of recession, Patra said.Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes.
During a media briefing ON Wednesday, CM Kejriwal said the images of Ganesha and Lakshmi could be printed on fresh currency notes. He added that the new notes could have an image of Mahatma Gandhi on one side and the two deities on the other.
"Despite making efforts, 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.
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He cited the example of Indonesia, a Muslim nation, that has an image of Ganesha on its currency note.
"When Indonesia can, why can't we? The images can be printed on fresh (currency) notes," he said.
Lamenting the fact that the India economy was not in good shape, he said the country was passing through a delicate situation with the rupee depreciating against the US dollar.
"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.
Kejriwal also said the Aam Aadmi Party was fully prepared for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls and stressed that the people of the national capital would reject the BJP.
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He also challenged the BJP to cite one good work it had done in Gujarat, where it has run a government for the last 27 years
"All demonic powers aligned against us," Kejriwal said on the upcoming polls in Gujarat.
The Delhi chief minister also lauded the efforts of Delhi residents for the decline in the city's pollution levels.
"We are still not satisfied. We want to make Delhi the city with the cleanest air," he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
