Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's appeal on Wednesday for printing images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes triggered a bitter war of words between the ruling AAP and Opposition parties BJP and Congress.
The BJP leaders attacked Kejriwal alleging that his demand was an "attempt to cover up public assertions of his party leaders against Hindu deities", while the Congress demanded Delhi chief minister's resignation for allegedly violating secular principles of the Constitution.
Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari charged that Kejriwal's religious pitch in view of elections in Gujarat and MCD polls in Delhi was nothing but an "unsuccessful attempt" by him to hide "anti-Hindu face of AAP exposed recently by its leaders openly abusing Hindu deities".
If Kejriwal really meant what he said, he should expel former Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam and AAP's Gujarat unit president Gopal Italia from the party for "speaking against Hindu deities", Tiwari demanded.
"All such leaders... whether it's (Rajendra Pal) Gautam or the AAP's Gujarat unit president are still in the party," Tiwari said.
Those who opposed the Ram temple in Ayodhya now have come out with a new "mask" in view of the elections, he said, referring to an old statement by Kejriwal citing his grandmother's words that Lord Ram cannot reside in a temple constructed by demolishing a mosque.
"Kejriwal, who has so far protected his party leaders who insulted Hindu gods and goddesses, is now trying to save his face in view of the elections", Tiwari alleged.
In a media briefing earlier, Kejriwal appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes.
"Despite trying our best, 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.
With BJP sharpening attacks on their party chief, AAP leaders hit back with party MP Sanjay Singh saying, "Just because Arvind Kejriwal has requested for this, the BJP is uncomfortable with the proposal."
AAP MLA Atishi asked the BJP leaders to continue to "hate" Kejriwal if they wished so but do not denounce blessings of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra shared on Twitter a purported Diwali advertisement of the Delhi government showing picture of Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, pointing the pictures of Ganesha and Lakshmi were missing in it although Kejriwal was demanding that images of the deities be printed on the currency notes.
"Kejriwal's hypocrisy is on show," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters as he noted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had recently warned people celebrating Diwali with firecrackers of legal action.
AAP MLA and party's chief whip in Delhi Assembly Dilip Pandey attacked the BJP saying although it "masqueraded" as a flag-bearer of Dharma, it was opposing the chief minister's proposal.
"The BJP should tell what problem they have with the proposal," he said.
Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said Kejriwal should resign from the chief minister's post for "violating" the secular principle enshrined in the Constitution.
"Kejriwal is playing low-level politics by bringing in Hindu deities in his political gambit to violate the secular credentials of the country," he said.
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