Congress in Maharashtra today protested outside the Reserve Bank offices in Mumbai and Nagpur as part of its anti-demonetisation agitation, with its leader Ashok Chavan accusing the Narendra Modi government of converting the central bank into an "RSS shakha".
Demanding resignation of RBI Governor Urjit Patel for throwing the lives of 125 crore Indians into a disarray with demonetisation, state Congress president Ashok Chavan in Mumbai accused the Narendra Modi government of converting the Reserve Bank into an "RSS shakha" (branch).
In Nagpur, Congress workers were lathi-charged by police during their demonstration in front of the Reserve Bank office even as a march led by former chief minister Prithiviraj Chavan, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, state Legislative Council's Deputy Chairman Manikrao Thakre, AICC member Bhakta Charan Das and other party workers sought resignation of RBI Governor.
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While a delegation led by Prithviraj Chavhan went in the RBI to submit a memorandum, some Congress workers outside the office raised slogans and the situation became tense. Some party workers alleged that the police lathi-charged them.
A few Congress workers were also detained and to protest the police lathi-charge, some party leaders later staged a sit-in in front of the RBI office.
The leaders demanded an inquiry and suspension of the concerned police official who ordered the lathi-charge and release of the detained workers. The situation eased when the detained Congress workers were released.
Meanwhile, addressing a protest meet in Mumbai, Ashok Chavan said people of the country were held to ransom with the sudden decision to ban high-value currency notes.
"The RBI autonomy has been eroded and the apex bank has been converted into an RSS shakha by the Modi government," he alleged, adding that the sudden decision had an adverse impact on the economy.
The Congress, while in power, never compromised with the autonomy of RBI.
"Congress will continue to raise the issue of hardships faced by the people in the state Legislatures and Parliament," Ashok Chavan said.
AICC spokesman Randeep Surjewala, who participated in the
protest in Mumbai, described the Modi government as a "golmaal sarkar".
The government refuses to answer questions that under which law, restrictions were imposed on citizens from withdrawing their own money, he said.
Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam blamed the RBI Governor for hardships faced by citizens and demanded his resignation.
"Demonetisation is the world's biggest scam where people were prevented from withdrawing their own hard earned money," he said.
The Congress protest march was not allowed to proceed from the bus depot outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) in Mumbai. The road leading to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) office was barricaded so that the protesters could not go beyond the General Post Office (GPO).
Congress legislators Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan, Varsha Gaikwad, Bhai Jagtap, Amit Jhanak, senior leaders Narayan Rane, Harshwardhan Patil, Suresh Shetty and Priya Dutt were prominent among those present on the occasion.
Surjewala claimed that Governor Urjit Patel had left Mumbai since the Congress decided to gherao RBI today.
Later, delegations of Congress leaders in Mumbai and Nagpur went to the respective RBI offices to hand over their memorandum.
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"Gross mismanagement and absolute abdication of responsibility has marked functioning of RBI under Patel. It now looks like a subsidiary of BJP," Surjewala told reporters.
"Modi Ji does not answer questions on why is he trying to make RBI a 'branch' (shakha) of BJP and RSS. RBI is an independent policymaking body and its impartiality and autonomy has been compromised," he said.
Demonetisation has stopped the wheel of India's development and progress and led to economic anarchy, he said.
"Over 120 people have died in bank queues over 70 days after the note ban. What was their fault. Will Modi and Patel apologise to their kin," Surjewala said, adding that RBI went on a spree of issuing notifications and as a result people have started calling it 'Reverse Bank of India'.
There is no new security feature in the new notes. RBI is not saying how will they combat counterfeit notes, he said.
"The IMF report two days ago said there has been a loss of around three lakh crore. Why is RBI Governor not quantifying the loss, why is he keeping mum," Surjewala said, adding that RBI has now become a captive puppet of Modi govt under Patel.
Referring to seizure of lakhs of rupees in old currency notes affiliated to banks linked to two Maharashtra ministers, he said, "Ex Gujarat CM Suresh Mehta of BJP has alleged that there is a Modi connection with claims made by Mahesh Shah. Has it been verified. A white paper should be published on issues pertaining to demonetisation".
Shah, an Ahmedabad-based Realtor, had declared nearly Rs 14,000 crore under the Income Declaration Scheme.
Asked if Congress will bring in a motion in Parliament against Patel, Surjewala said, "we will raise the issue in Parliament besides protesting on the streets in Rahul Gandhi's leadership".
"We are happy that BJP allies like Akali Dal and Shiv Sena have seen the mirror of truth," he said, when asked about 'Saamana' edits and Chandrababu Naidu's remarks on note ban.
"You go to any industrial hub. Almost 60 per cent industries are closed," Surjewala said.
"Why does not Modi Ji probe allegations that he got Rs 25 crore from Birla group," he said in reply to a query.
Without naming Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, Surjewala said said the law must be equal for all, be it artistes or the common man.
"Sometimes, the car crushes people on its own, while at other times, a deer dies and nobody knows who pulled the trigger," he said.
