Over the years, many politicians and leaders have made requests to print the photos of freedom fighters and Hindu gods on currency notes.
As opposed to many other nations, India has followed a strict principle when it comes to printing Indian currency notes, only using the photo of Mahatma Gandhi in all the bank notes, no matter what the value. This decision was challenged by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today.
A row erupted over the request of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal’s request to include the photos of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on the Indian currency notes, along with that of Mahatma Gandhi; a move with was slammed by opposition leaders.
Despite Kejriwal’s sincere request to the Centre over the change in the photo printed on bank notes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has already issued a clarification on this issue over a decade ago, updating a norm regarding the same in 2010.
The Indian Currency Notes (ICN) have been floating in circulation by the RBI since over 50 years ago in the country and will continue to do so unless there is a significant change in the norm set by the Reserve Bank of India.
According to an RTI reply regarding the issue was sent by the Department of Economic Affairs' Additional Secretary Manisha Sinha in 2019, saying that RBI rules that no photos apart from that of Mahatma Gandhi can be printed on the currency notes.
Many people had entered pleas that photos of freedom fighters, Nobel laureates, and other noted personalities be included in the notes, but a high-level committee had felt that "no other personality could better represent the ethos of India better than Mahatma Gandhi".
The RTI issued in 2019 states, as quoted by Times Now, states, “Therefore, it was decided to retain the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi on the obverse of banknotes and on the watermark. The government has approved the recommendation.”
After demanding that photos of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi be included in the notes, Arvind Kejriwal and AAP received criticism from other parties, saying that he was indulging in vote bank politics and not focusing on real issues.
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 "Can photos of freedom fighters, deities be printed on currency notes? Know RBI rules on Gandhi photo")
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