The Mumbai Congress activists staged massive protests against the Narendra Modi Government in the metropolis on Friday, as part of a ‘black day’ observed by the party across the country to mark the second anniversary of the November 8, 2016 demonetisation initiative.
Leading the protests against the NDA Government over demonetisation staged near the Chhatraati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) here, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the people would politically eliminate him in the 2019 polls for his “destructive”move which continued to hurt people across the country.
Addressing the protesters, Nirupam said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested the people of the country for 50 days. He also said if his (demonetization) decision proved to be wrong within that time-frame, then the people of the country could hang him publicly”.
“More than 600 days have passed, but the Prime Minister has been keeping quiet on the issue..... Small scale industries were shut, youngsters lost their jobs and at least 150 innocent people lost their lives while standing in the queue outside banks. The only person who was benefitted from PM
Modi's decision of demonetization was Amit Shah. The common people of the country are agitated today,” Nirupam said.
“Since the Prime Minister has failed miserably ( in his demonetisation decision), the people will not hang him physically but will finish him politically in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections,” the Mumbai Congress chief said.
Quoting the note ban figures put out by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Nirupam said: "The RBI revealed that money worth Rs. 10,000 crore was the actual amount of black money for which currency worth Rs.15,00,000 crore was demonetised”
“The PM had assured the people of the country that terrorism and naxalism will come to an end once demonetization was introduced. However, exactly opposite of what was promised has happened. Our jawans are being killed at the border and the attacks by Naxalites and terrorists have increased manifolds in the country.
This depicts a massive failure of Modi's demonetization decision,” Nirupam said.
Nirupam said that even after two years since the Prime Minister’s destructive move, the common man in the country was battling its aftermath even today.
Mumbai Mahila Congress President Ajanta Yadav, former State Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Handore, Maharashtra SC Cell spokesperson Raju Waghmare, former MLA Ashok Bhau Jadhav, former MLC Charansingh Sapra and Mumbai Pradesh Youth Congress President Ganesh Yadav were among those who participated in the protests.
The protesters, carrying banners and placards with slogans condemning demonetisation, raised vociferous slogans against the Modi government for its “misadventure”.