The new 5 pound note contains tallow - which comes from beef or mutton fat.
London:
A number of Hindu temples in Britain have banned the new 5 pound note after it emerged that it contained animal fat.
The National Council of Hindu Temples said the new currency "ceases to be a simple medium of exchange but becomes a medium for communicating pain and suffering and we would not want to come into contact with it".
The Independent on Sunday quoted Satish Sharma, a spokesperson for the Council, as telling BBC that he knew of at least three temples which were not accepting the 5 pound note.
"I think temples have a responsibility to maintain a certain standard of Dharmic (religious) principles. Any temple which wanted to go along and ban the 5 pound note wouldn't be acting in any matter which was inconsistent," he said.
The Bhaktivedanta Manor, a Hare Krishna temple at Hertfordshire, posted a photo on Facebook which said: "We no longer accept the new 5 pound notes as they contain animal fat."
Last week, it was revealed that the note contains tallow, which comes from beef or mutton fat. Hindus consider cow a holy animal.
The Shree Sanatan Temple at Leicester also launched a campaign to have the note replaced, the Independent reported.
"We are very disappointed to learn that the new 5 pound note contains traces of animal fat," the temple's website said.
A petition to remove tallow from the bank notes has received more than 120,000 signatures.
The National Council of Hindu Temples said the new currency "ceases to be a simple medium of exchange but becomes a medium for communicating pain and suffering and we would not want to come into contact with it".
The Independent on Sunday quoted Satish Sharma, a spokesperson for the Council, as telling BBC that he knew of at least three temples which were not accepting the 5 pound note.
"I think temples have a responsibility to maintain a certain standard of Dharmic (religious) principles. Any temple which wanted to go along and ban the 5 pound note wouldn't be acting in any matter which was inconsistent," he said.
The Bhaktivedanta Manor, a Hare Krishna temple at Hertfordshire, posted a photo on Facebook which said: "We no longer accept the new 5 pound notes as they contain animal fat."
Last week, it was revealed that the note contains tallow, which comes from beef or mutton fat. Hindus consider cow a holy animal.
The Shree Sanatan Temple at Leicester also launched a campaign to have the note replaced, the Independent reported.
"We are very disappointed to learn that the new 5 pound note contains traces of animal fat," the temple's website said.
A petition to remove tallow from the bank notes has received more than 120,000 signatures.
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