'AAP Gujarat chief called temples centers of exploitation,' BJP reminds Kejriwal over 'Lakshmi-Ganesh on notes' demand

New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal triggered a row on Wednesday after demanding that images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh be put on Indian currency notes.

Leaders across party lines have slammed Kejriwal’s demand as a gimmick ahead of the state Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

Some have also reminded him of past comments made by AAP leaders.

During a debate on Aaj Tak, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “AAP whose Gujarat president calls temples as centers of exploitation, whose ministers take an oath against Hindu deities. Those who do not consider Ram temple worthy of worship, distribute stipends to clerics, they want the place of deities on the note by giving incomplete knowledge on Indonesia.”

He was replying to AAP’s Sanjay Singh who had also come to the debate.

For the uninitiated, Indonesian banknotes feature Lord Ganesha.

Trivedi was referring to statements made by AAP Gujarat chief Gopal Italia who called temples ‘places of exploitation’ and former AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam’s presence at a controversial religious conversion event recently where a pledge to not worship Hindu deities was taken.

What Kejriwal demanded

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, he 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.

Earlier in the day, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra criticised Kejriwal saying how the Delhi CM had mocked the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’

Kejriwal had rejected the BJP’s demand to waive tax on the film and mocked its leaders for supporting the movie.

With inputs from agencies

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