New Delhi/Kolkata/Mumbai: In a rare show of unity, ten major opposition parties on Monday came together and resolved to corner the government on demonetisation within and outside Parliament even as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged banks were giving cash to a few “through the back door” while the poor were made to stand in queues.
Finding a common ground on demonetisation which has caused hardship to people, leaders of Congress, Trinamool Congress, JD(U), BSP, CPI(M), CPI, NCP, RJD, JMM and DMK held a meeting in the national capital on Monday morning to forge a common plan of action with an aim of mounting attack on the government.
Leaders of these parties will hold such strategy sessions every morning before Parliament assembles during the ongoing Winter session, sources said.
It was decided that MPs of these 10 parties will stage a sit-in near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the Parliament complex on Wednesday. This will be followed by a march to Rashtrapati Bhawan, date for which is being worked out, the sources said.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who visited several ATMs on Monday morning and interacted with people, claimed he was told that cash was being taken out surreptitiously from the back door in the banks for a few “selected people” while there were long queues of common people waiting outside for hours.
“They said they are in the queue and deals are being made and cash is taken out from back door. And some selected people are given that cash. Those who are rich getting that and those who are poor they are made to stand in the queue.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that the country will come out like gold after this exercise, the Congress leader said, “I feel the coffers of the PM’s own 15 or 20 people’s will be filled up and their loans will be waived. Poor people, those who are in the queue, will only suffer losses.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged the Prime Minister was threatening parties raising voice against demonetisation and said she will hit the Delhi streets to protest against the government action.
“The Prime Minister is threatening other parties who are raising their voice against demonetisation. PM should be sober. PM should behave like a PM. If necessary, he should convene an all-party meeting on the issue,” Banerjee told a press conference in Kolkata.
“There is no ego fight. There should be a plan of action on demonetisation. My humble submission is that let us work together to solve the issue. The people are suffering,” the Trinamool Congress supremo said.
Banerjee said besides Delhi she will go to Lucknow and places in Bihar and Punjab to protest against demonetisation.
“This is not a political issue. We are speaking on behalf of commoners. Markets are closed. Small traders are hit,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said.
Centre’s demonetisation move is a plan which even the country’s worst enemies would not be able to better, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury alleged as he targeted the Modi dispensation over withdrawal of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal exhorted people to “change PM, not notes”. Kejriwal continued to target Modi over the issue, asking the latter to come clear on his “relations” with a mobile wallet company, claiming its business has seen an “upswing” since demonetisation. (PTI)
