Attacking the Narendra Modi Government on the second anniversary of demonetisation, Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said the poor people of the country were cheated as never before by the “so-called notebandi” which made them the worst sufferers and “they will give a befitting reply” to the perpetrators of the “biggest scam” India had seen.
Meanwhile, even as the Congress and the Left parties too attacked the Centre on demonetisation, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said a Karnataka-type alliance would be required to defeat the BJP.
Batting in favour of what he called “strategic alliances” Chidambaram said “strategic alliance will definitely benefit the Congress” and the “best way to defeat the BJP is to work out State-wise alliances.” He added, “one kind of the alliance is formed in Karnataka. Similar kinds of alliances should be built in different States.”
In a sudden move, the Prime Minister had on November 8, 2016 announced the demonetisation of `500 and `1,000 notes with a promise of filtering out the black money.
The move, however, failed to hit the multiple targets it was aiming at, prompting the Bengal Chief Minister to call it the “darkest day of India.” There was a definite agenda behind the decision she said wondering “for whose benefit it was meant.”
She asked, “Why was the decision taken and who benefited from the decision?” adding “I have a suspicion that the decision was taken to satisfy the agenda of a few people.”
After the “so-called demonetisation” the agricultural sector, small businessmen, farmers, labourers, domestic workers and small traders had suffered the most, Banerjee said claiming how she saw people crying “after which I really realised that it was a total disaster.”
She said how, “the economy is now totally depressed, business is now finished and oppressed and common people are completely suppressed,” whereas the “value of Rupee has gone down.”
The common people of India who had reposed faith in the Government felt cheated by it and those who had suffered the most would now give a befitting reply to the BJP-led Government, Banerjee said apparently predicting a below par electoral performance for the saffron outfit in the coming elections.