Hindu nationalists at war over a coin
New Delhi (Asia News) – It is an open battle between Hindu nationalists and the State Reserve: a 2 rupee coin, with an etching that recalls the cross is at the origins of protests in many regions of India. Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K Sudharshan, says that a newly minted two rupee coin should be withdrawn. Reserve Bank of India officials counter the allegation saying the so-called cross “is a pictorial represents of nation’s unity in diversity”. RBI officials say that the image on the reverse side of the coin is an ‘aerial view’ of four men from four different religions coming together and raising their hands in unity.
A few days ago, Shiv Sena working president Uddhav Thackeray too attacked coin design. Thackeray said the government deliberately replaced the map of India (previously represented) with the cross a symbol of Christianity – and that “is unacceptable”.
Analysts feel that the RSS is raking up non-issues as the BJP is already in trouble with the Election Commissioner for releasing a 'communal' CD and communal advertisements in the local newspapers in Uttar Pradesh that make derogatory references to the minority community
Rev. Fr. Babu Joseph, Spokesperson, of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) told AsiaNews : “ The whole controversy around the symbol of unity depicted on the reverse side of the 2 rupee coin as promotion of Christianity in India is nothing short of figment of imagination of certain individuals and groups in India that are obsessed with anti-minorityism. The Reserve Bank of India has made clarification on what the symbol actually meant and the matter should have been considered closed. Instead, these vested groups are trying to whip up uncalled for passion against a symbol which is universally accepted as representative of unity of people, cultures and religions which India truly represents. By raising such frivolous issues by political parties and organizations, they serve no useful purpose except create more social wedge between communities”.
Dr. John Dayal, President, All India Catholic Union in an exclusive interview to Asia News said: “What was the inspired lunacy of perhaps a few fanatics has now been given an official cloak by the Hindutva Parivar and their political protégé, the Bharatiya Janata Party; to collect whatever electoral points they can in the Uttar Pradesh elections and elsewhere. Those who see a Syrian or other Christian Cross, on a Two Rupee coin are also the same persons who are quite eager to kill a Bhopal girl because she marries a Muslim boy of her choice, and others who will slay five Dalits accusing them of skinning a cow. These political desperados and their hate campaigns – brought to chilling light in the compact discs distributed in Uttar Pradesh which paint every Indian Muslim as a traitor and a murderer – will hopefully invite administrative and judicial attention and the punishments that should go with such crimes in a democratic India”.
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