New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today asked a petitioner to approach the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with his plea seeking a restraint order against the bank from circulating Rs 5 and Rs 10 denomination coins with the image of deity Mata Vaishno Devi embossed on the reverse.
A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog asked Udayan Alung, the petitioner, to approach the banking regulator with his plea and made it clear that in case the Bank failed to respond, he can approach this court.
In his plea, the petitioner said that last month, he came to know that the Bank is to commemorate the silver jubilee of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and RBI in its two separate notifications earlier had announced that it would circulate the coins.
“The decision was taken without realising the fact that this could hurt the sentiments of different religions...,” the plea said and sought an order restraining the Bank from doing so.
“Making this move, the government is indulging in vote- bank politics just before the elections to appease a particular group,” the plea said adding the coins with the image of Holy Mother Mata Vaishno Devi should not be issued as they will be used everywhere including in liquor shop, bar, meat and chicken shops and other places...”
