The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday clarified that it has no proposal to replace the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi's picture on currency notes.
Referring to media reports that claimed that the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India were considering a proposal to also use images of famous personalities like Rabindranath Tagore and APJ Abdul Kalam on banknotes, the RBI clarified that there is no such proposal.
"There are reports in certain sections of the media that the Reserve Bank of India is considering changes to the existing currency and banknotes by replacing the face of Mahatma Gandhi with that of others. It may be noted that there is no such proposal in the Reserve Bank," Yogesh Dayal, Chief General Manager, said in a statement.
The RBI's statement comes a day after reports appeared in several publications claiming that the central bank and the Finance Ministry were considering a proposal to use the image of some other famous personalities alongside Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation.
The reports had claimed that new series of banknotes of some denominations would be released with watermark images of Rabindranath Tagore and the late former president of India APJ Abdul Kalam.
Courtesy: ANI
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, in Scunthorpe, northern England, Britain, March 31, 2025. REUTERS/Dominic Lipinski
The FBU is planning to introduce new internal policies and wants the TUC to take action as well. (Representational image: iStock)
FBU chief raises concern over rise in racist online posts by union members
THE FIRE Brigades Union (FBU) and other trade unions are increasingly concerned about a rise in racist and bigoted online comments by their own members and officials, according to Steve Wright, the FBU’s new general secretary, speaking to the Guardian.
Wright said internal inquiries have revealed dozens of cases involving members using racist slurs or stereotypes, often aimed at asylum seekers.
He said similar issues were reported in other unions, prompting a joint campaign to counter false narratives around immigration and race promoted by far-right groups online.
“People with far-right views are becoming more brazen in what they do on social media, and I’ve witnessed it with my own union around disciplinary cases and the rhetoric of some of our own members,” Wright said to the newspaper.
He added, “Some of our members and sometimes our reps have openly made comments which are racist and bigoted. In my time in the fire service, that has gone up.”
The FBU is planning to introduce new internal policies and wants the TUC to take action as well. A formal statement addressing far-right narratives will be launched at the union’s annual conference in Blackpool next month.
Wright cited the influence of social media and figures like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage as factors contributing to these incidents. “It feels like an itch that we’ve got to scratch,” he said.
The FBU barred a former official last year for allegedly endorsing racist content on X, including posts from Britain First and Tommy Robinson.
Wright also warned that the union could strike if the government moves to cut frontline fire services.