Hindu fundamentalists denounce 'cross' symbol in new two–rupee coin

The Hindu radical outfit, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has denounced the circulation of the new two–rupee coin, demanding its withdrawal as a motiff on the coin is styled in the shape of a cross.

Finding fault with the motif embossed on the new Rs. 2 coin released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the RSS supremo K. Sudarshan urged that it should be immediately withdrawn as with one side of the new coin depicting a "cross" drawn out with parallel lines, and four dots imprinted on the corners created by the crossing lines, the RSS has found a likeness of the design with that of the "Jerusalem Cross."

According to Sudarshan, the RBI has deviated from its traditional design on currency notes and coins and replaced national symbols like the Ashoka chakra and the Ashoka pillar or even nationalistic slogans like "satyameva jayate" with religious symbols.

"Using religious symbols on coins is against the secular traditions of the country. If that be the case then every religion can legitimately demand to have its religious symbols placed on coins and currency notes of different denominations," RSS leader Ram Madhav said.

"The symbol on the coin was an exact replica of the holy cross gold coin issued by an 8th century AD Roman Emperor, Louis, the Pious. The four dots below the cross are symbolic of the four gospels of Christianity," he added.

"All we would like to know is whether this is going to be part of a new trend to have religious symbols where only national symbols or slogans were used," the former RSS spokesman said.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has also joined in the protest. "A coin represents goddess Lakshmi, and it is an insult if we find a cross on it. This is against our culture," Vekantesh Apdev, the All India Joint Secretary of VHP said.

The Hindu radical outfit, Shiv Sena, has also demanded the withdrawal of the coin. Shiv Sena working president Uddhav Thackeray attacked the coin design, saying the government deliberately replaced the map of India (previously represented) with the cross a symbol of Christianity – and that "is unacceptable."

The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a debate in Parliament over what it suspects resembles the Christian cross in the new Rs. 2 coins.

The party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra said that BJP believed the RBI should instead have used the Ashok Chakra or Satyamev Jayate on the new coins.

"We have given a notice for a debate in Parliament, when it meets again, on this cross on two–rupee coins," he said.

"We wonder if the UPA government, which has become synonymous with appeasement politics, is coming out with a new trend to use religion on money as well," Malhotra said.

When contacted, RBI spokesperson Alpana Kilwala said that it is the Ministry of Finance that takes decisions regarding the design of currency coins.

The purported cross is actually a symbol of unity, according to the Reserve Bank of India. "The symbol shall be seen as four heads sharing a common body. It shall be thought of as people from all four parts of the country coming together under one banner," the central bank said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops Council of India (CBCI) has lashed out at the Hindu radical groups accusing them of being "obsessed with anti–minoritism."

"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–minoritism," said CBCI spokesman Fr. Babu Joseph.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of India spokesperson pointed out that the Reserve Bank of India has made clarification "on what the symbol actually meant and the matter should have been considered closed." But, 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," Fr Joseph 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," said Dr. John Dayal, president of the All India Catholic Union (AICU) speaking to Italy–based Catholic news agency, AsiaNews.

"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," he noted.

"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," he added.