Garlanding politicians with currency notes may be a time-tested method of appeasing them, but the Reserve Bank is not impressed with the practice, which, according to it, mutilates and amounts to disrespect to the 'sovereign' that the bank notes depict.
Even film stars will not be able to shower notes on dancers in movies, and relatives will not be able to gift currency garlands to couples during marriages as the central bank feels such practices only result in defacement of the currency notes.
As part of its efforts to ensure clean bank notes to the public, RBI has asked the public not to use bank notes for making garlands, and decorating pandals or places of worship.
"Such actions deface bank notes and shorten their life. Bank notes should be respected as they are a symbol of the sovereign and not misusing them enhances their life," the central bank said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
It has favoured marriages and other religious functions without display and decoration by garlands of currency notes.
It is an area, where many social reformers may not have succeeded so far, but the central bank has appealed to the public to discontinue practice for the sake of clean bank notes in public life.
The RBI, which discontinued the practice of stapling notes a few years ago, had earlier directed all the banks to stop stapling of bank notes for providing clean and good notes to the public.
"The Reserve Bank has been taking all measures to supply clean bank notes across the country. Members of public should contribute their might to its efforts," the central bank added.
