Plea to print image of Netaji on Indian currency notes dismissed

MADURAI

What is the use of printing the images of great leaders who fought for the Independence of the country on currency notes without following their principles, observed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court while dismissing a petition seeking a direction to the Centre to print the image of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the Indian currency notes.

A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and M. Duraiswamy said that merely because the image of Mahatma Gandhi was printed on the currency notes, it does not mean that the currency notes were used only for legal purposes. To have the image of a particular leader on the currency note was a policy decision of the government.

In 2010, a panel constituted by the Centre had decided that no other personality could better represent the ethos of India better than Mahatma Gandhi, the judges said. Netaji was a great leader who fought for the independence of the country. There were many known and unsung heroes and their contributions were not being underestimated.

But, there will be no end to such claims as made in the present petition. In recent times, it is being made on the lines of community, religion and race, the judges said and dismissed the petition filed by K.K. Ramesh of Madurai. The petitioner said that the image of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose should be printed on the Indian currency notes as many wanted the same.