Alleging that economic anarchy prevailed across the country due to the demonetisation of high-value currency notes, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav said the process should be put on hold for at least a week ‘so that poor people can arrange for cash for their daily needs’.
“This is the first time after the Congress imposed Emergency in 1975 that the country is facing an undeclared Emergency-like situation where we are not inside jail but have lost our freedom,” he said while addressing media persons in lucknow on Thursday.
Yadav said the SP supports the Union Government’s decision to curb black money and end corruption, but this does not mean that the poor people should suffer.
“We demand that the Union Government withdraw its order and give at least a week’s time for the people to arrange cash,” he said.
The SP patriarch alleged that the Government’s decision had affected the poor people, but on the other hand the people who have black money have converted it into gold or stashed it away to foreign countries where they will get all facilities. The Government should look into the matter to bring a stringent law to curb the menace rather than creating problem for the people,” Yadav stressed.
“Prime Minister Modi has mortgaged the country’s interest in the hands of a few big industrial houses. The Union Government is not concerned about the poor. A woman died of heart attack after a bank refused to change four Rs 500 notes that she was carrying. This is not an isolated incident. Many more incidents are being reported across the country,” he said.
Mulayam also demanded that the Government give relaxation to women and allow them to deposit Rs 5 lakh. “No question should be asked because women tenaciously save money every month. Modi’s decision has reduced women’s saving into trash in one stroke,” the SP chief said.
Yadav declared that the SP will raise this issue in Parliament. “The country’s economy has collapsed. People are losing jobs. Real estate is in a tizzy. Foreign investment in the country has been affected as people are no longer willing to invest in India. The Government’s decision has given rise to apprehensions,” Mulayam said.