RAIPUR: A division bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court issued notice to the state government and Centre on public interest litigation (PIL) seeking intervention against the “improper use” of Gandhian Logo -- pictorial illustration of Gandhi’s spectacles with swachh bharat written on the two glasses -- on dust-bins, public toilets and trash cans across the country.
The court has sought the response before 20 February next year.
Former Bhilai Mayor and a ex-state minister Badruddin Qureshi has filed a PIL in the court citing that Mahatma Gandhi is known across the world for his principles on truth and non-violence and not on swachh bharat mission.
"Gandhiji is father of the nation. How could anyone think of depicting the father’s belonging (specs and his image) near toilet or dust bin? This is absolutely unacceptable. But this practice is being carried out extensively everywhere. I have pleaded with the court to intervene and prevent it”, Qureshi said.
PM Narendra Modi while launching his nationwide cleanliness campaign on October 2 in 2014 said that ‘Swachh Bharat Mission logo is not just a logo, through it Gandhiji is watching us and so we all should clean India’. And since then the pictorial depiction of Gandhiji’s spectacles with swachh bharat written is been followed. And at several places the sketch of Gandhi also illustrated at the community toilets and on the trash cans installed for masses.
Hearing a petition, the division bench of Chief Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Sanjay Agrawal issued notice to the union and the state government. The court has also asked the Chhattisgarh chief minister to take cognisance of the issue and initiate action.