BJP Considers Removing Gandhi from Currency: Dr. John Brittas MP

New Delhi: CPI M Rajya Sabha MP Dr. John Brittas on Monday alleged that the BJP-led Union government was considering removing Mahatma Gandhi’s image from Indian currency, claiming that preliminary rounds of discussion on the matter had already taken place. Responding to media queries in New Delhi, Brittas said the move reflected a deeper ideological project aimed at reshaping the symbolic foundations of the Indian Republic.

'They are debating symbols rooted in older Arsha Bharatha traditions to replace Gandhi,' Brittas said. He warned that these deliberations were not limited to symbolism alone but were part of a broader attempt to systematically erase the legacy of the Father of the Nation from public life. According to him, the reported discussions on currency imagery must be viewed alongside a series of actions that seek to redefine India’s democratic and constitutional ethos.

The CPI M MP went further, accusing the BJP of 'murdering Gandhi once again' through the introduction of the VB GMAM G Bill. He argued that while Mahatma Gandhi was physically assassinated in 1948, the present government was attempting to dismantle his core values of equality, justice and non-violence through legislative measures and symbolic revisions.

Brittas cautioned that the erosion of democratic norms, when combined with efforts to rewrite national symbols, could have far-reaching consequences for India’s constitutional order. He said such moves weaken the moral and ideological foundations on which the Republic was built, and risk alienating large sections of the population, particularly the poor and marginalised.

Calling for a stronger response from the Opposition, Brittas urged political parties to rise above differences and adopt a united and principled stand, both inside and outside Parliament. He described the current developments as an assault on democracy that demands collective resistance and sustained public engagement.

According to Brittas, defending Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy today was inseparable from defending the rights of the poor and protecting the democratic framework of the country. He stressed that Gandhi’s ideals were not merely historical values but living principles that continue to guide India’s constitutional vision, and any attempt to undermine them would have serious implications for the nation’s future.