Demonetisation Is A Tragedy & Suicidal Attack: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi’s claims were highlighted in a press release on the second anniversary of demonetisation.

Photo of Rahul Gandhi used for representation. 

(Photo: PTI)

On the second anniversary of demonetisation, Congress President Rahul Gandhi in a press release called demonetisation a “tragedy”, adding that the move was a “self-inflicted, suicidal attack” that destroyed millions of lives and ruined thousands of India's small businesses.

“From a war against counterfeit currency and terrorism, to permanently removing the scourge of black money; from increasing savings to forcing a shift to digital transactions; not a single stated objective of the government’s has been met.”

Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi in the press release further criticised Finance Minister Arun Jaitley by calling him ‘incompetent’ and for defending the government’s ‘criminal policy.’

“On the second anniversary of the prime minister’s monumental blunder, the government’s spin-doctors, including our incompetent finance minister, have the unenviable task of defending an indefensible, criminal policy.”

Rahul Gandhi

Demonetisation Has Cost BJP Every By-Election: P Chidambaram

Meanwhile, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram in an address to the media in Kolkata indicated that demonetisation has costed BJP all the by-elections since 2016, recent being in Karnataka.

“Consequences of demonetisation is known to everyone, which is one of the reasons why BJP has suffered successive defeats in practically every by-elections since 2016.”

P Chidambaram

Reiterating ‘consequences of demonetisation’, Chidambaram began his address by stating that the government failed to deliver on all the ‘three objectives’ at the time of the announcement of demonetisation. He further added that millions were in debt while the GDP fell by one and a half per cent, following the ‘infamous demonetisation’.

“Demonetisation did not put an end to use of black money. Demonetisation did not put an end to fake currency. On the contrary counterfeiters have successfully counterfeited new Rs 2000 and Rs 500 notes.”

P Chidambaram

The Congress had also said it will hold a nationwide protest on Thursday, to mark two years of demonetisation. Meanwhile, the party has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise for “ruining and wrecking" the economy.

Demonetisation A Well Thought Cruel Scheme: Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi in a tweet denounced demonetisation as a sly scheme made for the prime minister's allies to turn their black money into white. The tweet that was put out in Hindi, also called ‘note-bandi’ a well-thought through cruel scheme.

‘Govt Cheated Our Nation With This Big Demonetisation Scam’: Mamata Banerjee

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared a graphic on the ‘cost of demonetisation’, which detailed the cost incurred in printing new notes, the jobs and lives reportedly lost, and the fall in the GDP post the exercise.

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot also took to Twitter to claim that several people who had been affected by demonetisation, were still struggling to make ends meet.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, took to Twitter to slam the Modi government over its decision to demonetise currency notes of higher denominations, stating that the people would "punish those who took the decision”.

Meanwhile, CPI politburo member Sitaram Yechury questioned the lack of celebrations by the government.

The Aam Aadmi Party shared a video of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal touting demonetisation as the “biggest scam in the history of independent India.”

Congress to Hold Nationwide Protest

Congress leaders and workers will protest on Thursday against the "complete demolition" of the Indian economy unleashed by the "Tughlaqi farmaan" of demonetisation two years ago, spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a press conference on Tuesday, 6 November.

The prime minister stood up two years ago on November 8 and addressed the nation, demonetising almost Rs 16.99 lakh crore in circulation, Tewari said.

The three reasons given for demonetisation were that it would curb black money, weed out fake notes and proscribe terror financing, but two years later none of those objectives have materialised, Tewari alleged.