Nitish parries queries on demonetisation

With opposition parties waiting to see if JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar has changed his views on demonetisation after completion of 50 days of the move, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today parried queries on the topic.

At the end of "Lok Samvad" (Public Interaction) programme, Kumar greeted mediapersons on New Year and Prakash Parva, the celebration of the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Govind Singh which is underway here.

But before the reporters could ask him about demonetisation, he asked them to highlight the good things about Bihar so that devotees coming to the state on the occasion of Prakash Parva return with good memories.
 

The Prakash Parva which started on December 25 would end on January 5 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend a function in Patna on January 5.

Though, Kumar did not talk anything on demonetisation, the JD(U) has hinted that the party would conduct review of the scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes to fight black money, after Prakash Parva ends on January 5.

Kumar, who has backed demonetisation, recently said he would speak his mind on the matter after the end of 50 days of the drive, which ended on December 30 last.

Allies Congress and RJD had hoped that Kumar would join their rank in criticising the scrapping of high value notes which caused hardship to common masses across the country.

While supporting demonetisation, Kumar, however, had highlighted the "poor arrangements" in place for implementing the drive, resulting in hardship to citizens.

During his "Chetna Sabha" as part of "Nishchay Yatra" he had on numerous occasions pointed towards long queue outside banks and ATMs due to demonetisation in sharp contrast to arrangements made by his government under which an applicant gets a token and his registration is done in quick time to avail benefits of his "seven resolves" programme.

Kumar had also stated that the desired results of fight against black money could have an immediate impact on benami property and liquor ban which generates a lot of black money.