Demonetisation: Opposition trains guns on Modi; Cong-TMC meet as Kejriwal, Mayawati sharpen attack

The Opposition argued that in the name of curbing black money, common people are being made to suffer.

New Delhi | Updated: November 15, 2016 08:19 PM IST

3 min read

It’s Modi vs all over demonetisation

The demonetisation of high value currency has triggered a political war between a united Opposition and the Modi government as Congress, TMC, AAP, SP, Left and BSP on Monday spoke in one voice to dub government’s move to root out black money as a failed step. The Opposition argued that in the name of curbing black money, common people are being made to suffer.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal said that government had no game plan before making the big announcement on November 8 as people are seen struggling in queue outside bank. Kejriwal also attacked the prime minister for talking about ending corruption despite having close relations with NCP Sharad Pawar.

READ | Demonetisation: Congress, 7 opposition parties meet to formulate joint strategy

“Yesterday PM Modi took blessings of Sharad Pawar to fight against black money, no irony can be bigger than that,” said Kejriwal.
Kejriwal also said that an emergency session of Delhi Assembly has been called on Tuesday over demonetization crisis.

BSP chief Mayawati, on the other hand, claimed that Modi is losing people’s support after demonetisation as his rally in Ghazipur on Monday saw a poor turnout. She alleged that people from Bihar were brought to attend Modi’s rally in trains without tickets. “Modi ji makes claims of fighting against corruption, but today BJP got its volunteers in trains without tickets for Ghazipur rally,” said Mayawati.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav gave a sharp reaction to Modi’s emotional appeal to bear the hardship for 50 days. “First he said things will get better in few days, then he said it will take 10 days. And in Goa he said 50 days,” said Yadav.

Meanwhile, the Congress and TMC leaders are meeting on Monday evening to chalk out a united fight during the Winter Session of Parliament commencing on November 16 against the demonetisation of RS 500 and Rs 1000 notes by the Modi government. The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, would be meeting the TMC leader in the lower house, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, ahead of an all-party meeting convened by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Monday, opposition sources said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had Sunday spoken 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. Congress leaders too had reached out to several parties, including TMC to chalk out a joint strategy ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament.

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