Kejriwal cited the Indonesian 20,000 rupiah banknote as an example in his address.
(Note: Kejriwal’s remarks can be heard four minutes and 32 seconds into this video)
Following which posts about the Indonesian currency went viral on social media. (Archives can be seen here and here.)
But what is the truth?: While it is true that the Indonesian 20,000 rupiah banknote has had a picture of Lord Ganesha on it, the note was demonetised by the government in 2008.
When was the note first issued: The Bank of Indonesia first began circulating the note with Lord Ganesha’s photo in 1998, as stated in a working paper found on the bank’s website.
Is it still in use?: The Indonesian government announced the withdrawal of the note from circulation (along with three other notes) in November 2008, stating that they would “no longer be applicable as legal tender” from 31 December 2008.
What the current IDR 20,000 note looks like?: The current 20,000 rupiah note, issued in 2022, features the first…