The Congress has sought a detailed explanation from the BJP-led Government at the Centre about benefits received and goals achieved after 50 days of the note ban. The party under its strategy to condemn the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi also rolled out its programmes against the move.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, AICC secretary and party’s joint in-charge for Jharkhand Tara Chand Bhagora alleged that the entire exercise claimed against the black money had failed to deliver.
“The Prime Minister had promised that things would be normal within 50 days since he announced note ban on November 8. But situation is far from normal. Over hundred persons have died in queues and small businessmen have been ruined. Still restriction on withdrawal is there. The PM should come up with an explanation about achievements of the move and amount of black money collected so far across the nation,” said Bhagora.
He, while bashing the entire exercise, termed it a result of shortsightedness which could not achieve any of its objectives so far. “Neither much black money unearthed; nor funding to terrorists has stopped; nor counterfeit currency practice has ended. It has achieved none of the goals. Instead, it is a case of massive corruption where BJP leaders gained and exchanged the banned notes well in advance. lands were purchased in different districts and massive amounts were deposited in BJP leaders’ bank accounts. We demand a thorough probe into all this,” added Bhagora.
Accompanied him was Rajya Sabha MP Chhaaya Verma who alleged the PM for working for the rich. “He made 99 percent people to stand in queues for the sake of one per cent rich friends of his. He has no right to dictate terms to RBI. It was childish on his part to talk about cashless in the country with so much of backwardness. The PM does not know pain of households since he has left his wife,” she said and flashed an account number reportedly belonging to the BJP in Kolkata in which `3 crore was claimed have been deposited on November 8.
The party to take the opposition forward would organise protest march in Ranchi on January 6 and 9 in which women with thumping plates would take part. Several other places in the State would see similar protests. Top leaders, including Bhagora and PCC chief Sukhdeo Bhagat would participate in this.