‘It Left Indians Unemployed’: Rahul Gandhi on 3 Years of Note Ban

Opposition leaders like Priyanka Gnadhi & Mamata Banerjee have also taken to Twitter to criticise the government.

On the third anniversary of demonetisation, 8 November 2019, senior Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi slams the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) government for its move. 

(Photo: Arinca Kala / The Quint)

On the third anniversary of demonetisation, 8 November 2019, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) government for the move that abruptly cut off circulation of all Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in the market.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the decision was taken to crack down on black money, terror funding and corruption, three years down the line
#DeMonetisationDisaster is trending on Twitter.

Other opposition leaders like Priyanka Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee have also taken to Twitter to criticise the government.

Took Many Lives & Left Indians Unemployed: Rahul Gandhi

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi squarely blamed the BJP government for “wiping out lakhs of businesses" and leaving “millions of Indians unemployed.”

He said that even three years later, the government that brought this “vicious attack” upon the country is yet “to be brought to justice.”

Demonetisation Proved to be a Disaster: Priyanka

Slamming the Modi government for claiming that demonetisation was a "slayer of all evils", Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said it proved to be a "disaster" that has all but destroyed the economy.

Note Ban Was a Futile Exercise: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that she knew from the very beginning that the decision would ruin millions of lives.

Banerjee, during her campaign for the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, had promised to conduct an investigation into demonetisation.

On the first anniversary of note ban in 2017, she had turned her Twitter display picture black in protest.

On several occasions, the Trinamool Congress supremo alleged that the Modi government's move was a "big scam" that benefited only a handful of people.

Country is Facing Consequences of Note Ban: NCP

Joining the chorus, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) tweeted against demonetisation too.

The party’s official Twitter handle posted a tweet that reads:

“Even after 3 years of demonetisation, the country is facing its consequences. The crumbling economy, recession and unemployment of lakhs is what the Modi government has given to the people.”<i></i>

‘Neither Terrorism Stopped Nor The Business of Fake Notes’

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also hit out at Prime Minister Modi for the demonetisation move, describing him as "today's Tughlaq".

"Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq rendered the country's currency useless in the year 1330. Today's Tughlaq did the same on 8 November 2016," he said in a tweet.

"Three years have passed and the country is suffering because- economy collapsed, employment lost. Neither terrorism stopped, nor the business of fake notes," he said, and asked who is responsible.

Surjewala also cited global rating agency Moody's lowering the outlook on the government of India's ratings to negative, to claim that demonetisation was a "man-made catastrophe".

He questioned the "silence" of those in power on the third anniversary of demonetisation.

‘Biggest Scandal Legally Committed’

Criticising demonetisation, the IT Wing of Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has tweeted a video calling 8 November a ‘black day’.

The tweet reads, “'The biggest scandal of the century legally committed.”

The video asserts how demonetisation has led to no economic growth and add to it, ‘the fiscal cost of demonetisation exercise itself has exceeded the benefits.’

The video also says there were reports of over 100 people dying due to demonetisation.

(With Inputs from PTI)