We don’t see it as neglecting Muslim symbols, says AAP leader  on Hindu deities on currency notes

Durgesh Pathak denies party maintaining distance from Muslims 

While demanding images of Hindu deities Ganesh and Lakshmi to be printed on currency notes, the Aam Aadmi Party does not see it as asking for Hindu symbols and neglecting Muslim symbols, said party leader Durgesh Pathak.

On October 26, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to print images of Hindu deities Ganesh and Lakshmi on the Indian currency to “improve” India’s economy and for country’s “progress”.

When asked that the party is seeking for Hindu symbols on currency and not Muslim ones, Mr. Pathak, a member of AAP’s political affairs committee – the highest decision-making body of the party – told  The Hindu, “There is no such demarcation. We said that having these images alone won’t solve issues, work has to be done along with it.” 

But when pointed out that these are still Hindu symbols and not Muslim ones, he said, “You [media] see it like that, we don’t see it like that.” 

The AAP chief and other senior leaders have been assertive about their Hindu identity and have also invoked Hindu symbols and icons in the past too. For instance, last month, Mr. Kejriwal raised “Jai Shri Ram” slogans at an event in Gujarat; in the 2021 budget session of the Delhi Assembly, Mr. Kejriwal said that they have been trying to create “Ram Rajya” in Delhi. 

On the other hand, he has been silent on many issues related to Muslims.

When asked that wouldn’t maintaining distance from Muslims affect the party’s voter base, he dismissed it saying that there is “nothing like that” for the party and added that he had commented on the Bilkis Bano’s case. “I’m a spokesperson, so if I’m saying something, then the party is saying something,” he said.