More than 50 leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, were detained on Tuesday when they tried to march to Parliament from Jantar Mantar protesting the Centre’s demonetisation move.
“Fifty AAP leaders, including Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Gopal Rai and Kapil Mishra as well as many MlAs were detained to be released later on,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Jatin Narwal said.
Several AAP members of the Delhi assembly also joined the protest, carrying placards demanding the reversal of the November 8 demonetisation decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While addressing the gathering that also included Delhi Ministers Gopal Rai, Kapil Mishra and Satyendar Jain, Sisodia said, “The demonetisation has destroyed people’s lives while it has had no effect on black money.”
As they reached the police barricades outside the Parliament Street police station, barely one kilometre ahead of Parliament, Sisodia gave another speech hurling corruption allegations against Modi. He said the demonetisation had caused misery and deaths to the common man.
“It was claimed that demonetisation will stop terror funding. Then how did the terrorists killed in Kashmir had the new Rs 2,000 notes on themIJ We were told that demonetisation will end corruption. But people are still indulging in bribery, using the new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes,” the AAP leader said.
The AAP has come out strongly against demonetisation, saying the currency spike was a scam aimed at bailing out corporate houses that had borrowed heavily from banks.