Akanksha Singh –
Published on: September 3, 2021, at 09:17 IST
Madras High Court recently rejected a petition challenging Centre’s rejection of a representation for printing the image of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
It was submitted by the petitioner that if the image of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is printed in the currency note, then it will be a tribute to him, as he was a freedom fighter and sacrificed a lot of things for our country.
On 4th of February 2021 an earlier writ petition was rejected by Madras High Court, filed by the same petitioner with the same arguments.
However as per the order of the Central Government regarding the issue of changing the existing image of Mahatma Gandhi and inclusion of some other personalities the committee stated that “ No other personality could better represent the ethos of India than Mahatma Gandhi,” and therefore, it decided to keep the image of Mahatma Gandhi as the watermark.
The petitioner has come before this Court challenging the order passed by the third respondent, by which, the petitioner’s claim for printing the image of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in the currency notes have been rejected and represents the detail about the works and the contribution and sacrifices of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose towards our country.
After hearing the above things the Court said that the government has the authority to make decisions and the Court cannot substitute the views expressed in the report of the committee which have been accepted by the government.
It was further noted by theDivision Bench of Justice N. Kirubakaran and Justice M. Duraiswamy , “If everybody starts making such a claim there will not be an end. Moreover, in recent days, there are claims and counterclaims based on religion, community, and region. If every claim is started to be entertained, there will not be any end.”
Hence the court decided that there is nothing wrong in the decision of the Central Government and RBI to retain the image of Mahatma Gandhi and any other personality in the notes by observing that “The Central Government as well as Reserve Bank of India have already constituted a Committee and took a decision that it is only the father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi could represent the ethos of India and therefore, it was decided to retain Mahatma Gandhi’s image in the currency notes and no other.”