Rs 100 per photo: BJP minister wants people to pay for selfie with her

BJP minister in Madhya Pradesh Usha Thakur called taking selfies as a "time-consuming process" and said the money for photos will be deposited for party work.

New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Usha Thakur on Saturday (July 17) said those want to click selfies with her must pay Rs 100 which will be deposited in the BJP's coffers for party work. She called it a "time-consuming process" saying it leads to delays in her programmes. 

"A lot of time gets wasted in clicking selfies, and often we get late by hours for our programmes. From the (party) organizational point of view, we though any person clicking a selfie (with her) should deposit Rs 100 in the treasury of the BJP's local mandal unit," she was quoted as saying by PTI.

Further, the state minister for culture also asserted she would not accept bouquets as only the "unblemished" Lord Vishnu can be offered flowers since Goddess Laxmi resides in them she is ready to accept books instead.

"As far as welcoming people with flowers is concerned, we all know Goddess Laxmi resides in them. So none other than Lord Vishnu, who is unblemished, can accept flowers. So, I don't accept flowers. Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said one should offer books instead of flower bouquets," the minister told reporters at Khandwa.

Incidentally, in 2015, Thakur's cabinet colleague Kunwar Vijay Shah had also proposed that those seeking selfies with him must donate Rs 10 for a cause.