Mukul takes on BJP in GH

CM continues attack on Modi, says demonetisation  has hit development

TURA: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma continued his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on demonetisation at the Jan Vedna Sammelan held at Resubelpara in North Garo Hills on Saturday.
Sangma said the ‘wheel of development’ has come to a standstill as people are still seen lining up in front of banks and ATMs by giving up their day-to-day livelihood.
“Modi wants to make India cashless but did he decide it by taking all stakeholders into confidence? He (Modi) took the decision overnight that created hurdles for the poor, farmers, labour, shopkeepers, the middle class and the entire unorganised sector,” the Chief Minister reasoned in presence 1,000-odd party workers and supporters, who had gathered for the programme.
Sangma also said in the North East, most tribes help each other during occasions like marriage and death by gifting cash. “If India goes cashless, how can we continue with the tradition?”
Though he did not talk much about e-wallet and other options, which were available but categorically said, “Now the common people should keep swipe machines at their homes.”
Senior Congress leaders, including All India Congress Committee in-charge for Meghalaya C.P Joshi, Forest and Environment Minister Clement Marak, Elementary Education and Literacy Minister Deborah Marak, Sports Minister Zenith Sangma and former chief ministers of Meghalaya, D.D Lapang and Salseng C. Marak, attended the function.
Joshi hit out at the Union government for not restoring cash flow and accused it of ruining the central bank’s autonomy.
The central leader reminded the gathering that Modi had sought 50 days for the situation to normalise. “It is almost three months now. Modi should tell the people how much black money had been detected. He had assured ‘acche din’ for the people of the country but where is ‘acche din’,” he said, adding that demonetisation only benefitted a few while the majority suffered.
Sangma, Joshi and other speakers made effort to woo the people of North Garo Hills by harping on Modi’s “anti-people policies”.
They tried to send out a message that BJP and its ally would make their tentacles expand and fool the people of Garo hills but it was people’s responsibility to reject them.