As the Government gears up to observe the first note-ban anniversary, the Congress on Monday sharpened its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after its top brass huddled for two separate meetings on demonetisation and Goods Services Tax (GST).

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi hit out at Modi saying he had destroyed the country’s economy with two “torpedoes” — note ban and GST. Rahul wondered why the Government was “celebrating” the first anniversary. The Congress along with other Opposition parties will observe November 8 as ‘black day’.

While Rahul’s first meeting discussed the plans of the party to be joined by other opposition parties to observe November 8 as ‘Black Day’, the second deliberated upon GST implementation. The second meet was attended by ex-PM Manmohan Singh and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

In its reaction BJP said the Congress’ opposition to demonetisation was understandable as “corrupt policies” of its government militated against a transparent economy now being pursued by the Modi dispensation.

“Narendra Modi had failed to understand the pain of the people. The economy was in tatters now,” Rahul said briefing the media. He said while the economy was able to withstand the “torpedo” of note ban, it could not withstand the one of GST.

“The PM is not able to understand the feeling of the people and the hurt and sadness these two decisions have caused,” he told reporters after holding two meetings of top Congress leaders on demonetisation and GST.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that demonetisation was the biggest scam of the century which is a ‘Modi-made Disaster’ as the double whammy of DeMo & GST has crushed businesses and simultaneously wiped out jobs.

“This is a government drunk with power and blinded by arrogance that has the audacity to celebrate the ‘Surgical Strike’ on India’s Economy. People will never pardon BJP. PM Narendra Modi will go down in India’s history alongside Muhammad Bin Tughlak for the gross misadventure of demonetisation that wreaked havoc with India’s economy. No wonder that former PM Manmohan Singh has called it ‘organised loot and legalised plunder’,” Surjewala stated in a statement.