The Modi Government’s demonetisation of high value currency notes has brought a fractured Opposition together ahead of the Parliament’s Winter Session, with representatives of seven parties, the Congress, TMC, JD(U), RJD, CPI, CPI(M) and YSR (Congress), meeting to form a common strategy to take on the Government on Monday.
The confrontation over the demonetisation move is set to escalate with Congress accusing the Government of unleashing “economic anarchy” and “tax terrorism” in the country and virtually appealing to all Opposition parties to put up a united fight on the issue.
The SP, BSP, AAP, DMK, AIADMK which have criticised the Government on the issue following a huge outrage in the general public, are likely to sit together to strategies the protest inside and outside Parliament.
The leaders had a meeting with senior Congress leader and leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday. They are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday with representatives from BSP and others expected to be on board.
After the meeting, Azad said there was consensus among parties against black money and everyone felt that the Government had leaked the demonetisation information to the ruling BJP.
“There was consensus against black money in the meeting but everyone was against the way demonetisation was implemented.
“It came suddenly and the information was leaked to the ruling party while other parties learnt of it only two hours before it was to roll out. This is a scam and we will raise it in Parliament,” said Azad.
Among those who were present included Sharad Yadav (JD-U), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Sudip Bandopadhyay and Derek O’Brien of TMC, CPI’s D Raja, Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), Sushil Kumar (JMM) and M Rajamohan Reddy of YSR Congress. Besides Azad, Congress leader in the lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma were present.
Congress and TMC leaders also held a separate meeting to chalk out a united fight during the Winter Session. Azad and Kharge from the Congress and Bandyopadhyay and Derek O Brien of the TMC were present. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury besides several other Opposition leaders and mooted the idea of a united fight against the demonetisation move.
The TMC has even decided to meet President Pranab Mukherjee on November 16, the day Winter Session starts, to highlight the “crisis” situation and others may rally behind it as part of delegation to the President.
While Mamata slammed Modi for his remarks that poor are enjoying a sound sleep after demonetisation, saying it was an “insult” to the common people, BSP supremo Mayawati said an undeclared “Bharat Bandh” was prevailing in the country where all economic activity has come to a grinding halt due to demonetisation.
The Congress accused the Modi Government of unleashing “economic anarchy” and “tax terrorism” in the country and called for unity among Opposition parties.
Yechury also sought to pick holes in the demonetisation drive, claiming that Prime Minister’s stated objectives including those of tackling corruption will not be achieved with the steps taken. “You discontinued Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes, but, replaced it with that of Rs 2,000. Nobody is able to use that note,” Yechury said as he flashed a Rs 2000 note he withdrew from an ATM on Parliament premises to tell reporters that he has not been able to spend it over the past five days.