Opposition unites on demonetisation, Mamata rushes to Delhi

15-20 people close to the prime minister will fill their coffers, get their bank loans waived and poor people stand in queues will be harmed, says Rahul Gandhi

As many as 10 Opposition parties came together to plan a joint protest against the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes inside the parliament complex on Wednesday even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she would hit the streets in Delhi on November 22 and later in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Leaders of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, JD-U, BSP, CPI-M, CPI, NCP, RJD, JMM and DMK together did not let both houses of parliament function, saying it was an anti-people move. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who stood in a queue at an ATM in Jahangirpuri in North-west Delhi, also attended the meet. Later, he targeted PM Modi saying he was benefiting only a few of his rich friends and was not worried about the poor.

 

“The 15-20 people close to the prime minister will fill their coffers, get their bank loans waived. Our poor people who stand in queues will be harmed,” Rahul said.

Mamata has been more aggressive than the Congress on this issue. She had marched to the President over the issue along with AAP, NC and Shiva Sena leaders and later protested outside the RBI along with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

However, differences in approach showed up among the Opposition camps as both TMC and AAP pressed for a rollback of the note ban order, while the other parties sought a debate under a rule which entails voting to censure the government. “We want to censure the government. Since the PM himself had announced the note ban, it is appropriate that he comes to parliament and gives reply. It is also important that the issue is voted upon,” Congress spokesperson Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

Within the Congress, there were two different views on the issue. While leaders in the Rajya Sabha demanded a joint parliamentary panel to probe the note ban, those in the Lok Sabha pressed for a debate with voting.

Taking a position at variance from the TMC, Scindia said his party was not opposed to government’s attempts to curb black money but wanted to fix accountability over the plight of the people. “I have not seen such a situation in my life. How can the government ration the taxpayer’s money deposited with the banks by limiting withdrawals per day,” said Scindia.

READ OUR FULL COVERAGE ON THE MODI GOVT'S DEMONETISATION MOVE