'Lakshmi-Ganesh On Notes': It's A Meme Fest On Social Media, Politicians And Netizens Have A Field Day

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal argued that the move will help arrest the slide of the rupee against the dollar and boost the Indian economy.

BJP leader Nitesh Rane photoshopped a Rs 200 note to feature Maratha king and icon Chhatrapati Shivaji

Source : ANI | @NiteshNRane/ Twitter

After Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suggested to change the look of Indian currency with images of Lakshmi and Ganesh, BJP leader Nitesh Rane photoshopped a Rs 200 note to feature Maratha king and icon Chhatrapati Shivaji and shared it on the microblogging site Twitter on Wednesday as a response to Kejriwal's suggestion.

Rane, an MLA from Kankavli in Maharashtra, tweeted the photo, captioned "Yeh perfect hai (this is perfect)".

Ye perfect hai ! 😊 pic.twitter.com/GH6EMkYeSN

— nitesh rane (@NiteshNRane) October 26, 2022

Another BJP leader Ram Kadam also took a pot shot at Kejriwal and shared a photshopped image of four Rs 500 currency notes with images of Shivaji, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

अखंड भारत.. नया भारत.. महान भारत..

जय श्रीराम .. जय मातादी ! pic.twitter.com/OPrNRu2psl

— Ram Kadam (@ramkadam) October 27, 2022

After sharing the pictures Kadam Tweeted in Hindi and wrote "Their pictures will inspire crores of people of the country, no one can deny this." 

ओछी राजनीतीसे प्रेरित कुछ नेताओने देवी देवताओ की तस्वीर नोट पर होनी चाहिये यह मांग चुनाओ देखकर की..

किंतु वे दिल के इमानदारी से बात करते तो देश उसे स्वीकार करता .. पर उनका अतीत बताता है

की उन्हे केवल चुनाओ मे हमारे देवी देवता याद आते है .

यद्यपी हमारे महापुरुष

— Ram Kadam (@ramkadam) October 27, 2022

The development comes a day after Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal suggested that images of Goddess Lakhshmi and Lord Ganesh be inscribed on Indian currency. He argued that the move will help arrest the slide of the rupee against the dollar and boost the Indian economy.

"As I said we have to make a lot of effort to improve the economic situation of our country," he said. "But also with that, we need blessings from Gods and Goddesses. The whole country will get blessings if, on currency notes, there is a photo of Ganesh Ji and Lakshmi ji on one side and Gandhi ji on other side," the Delhi Chief Minsiter said making an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The statement by Kejriwal invited some mixed reaction from twitter users. 

“This man is an IITian and an ex-IRS officer. Wonder, how politics and thirst for power can leave even the brightest of minds in a despicable position(sic),” wrote a Twitter user.

While another user wrote,"Panjab sambhalo.. parali dhuen se Ganesh Laxmi enter nahi kar pae state mein. Desh ko Bakshi."

Panjab sambhalo.. parali dhuen se Ganesh Laxmi enter nahi kar pae state mein. Desh ko Bakshi

— SJ (@Swati05454944) October 26, 2022

"This is wrong. India is a secular country. There should be no officially endorsed religion. We know you are fighting a fight, and as long as you didn't take a position for political reasons, it was "somewhat" acceptable. This is not. You will lose the young heart of India," wrote another twitter user.

This is wrong. India is a secular country. There should be no officially endorsed religion. We know you are fighting a fight, and as long as you didn't take a position for political reasons, it was "somewhat" acceptable. This is not. You will lose the young heart of India.

— Anubhav Aggarwal (@anubhav_pec) October 26, 2022

One of the user urged the Chief Minister to not give it a communal twist and wrote," @ kejriwal Watching your press conference live now. U r only talking communal. Please don’t communalise currency."

@ kejriwal Watching your press conference live now.
U r only talking communal.
Please don’t communalise currency.

— Meenu Nigam (@MeenuNigam4) October 26, 2022