Opposition to launch country-wide protests against demonetisation

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in ‘politics’ with ‘public money’, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked why the Centre has been generous to states like Assam and Uttar Pradesh and not the rest of the country in distributing cash. “Public ke paise se politics karna bahut achha lagta hai,” said Banerjee, who surprised the media with her much-improved Hindi pronounciation.

Claiming that the situation in the country resembled a ‘super Emergency’, she said that the federal structure of the country had been destroyed and the country had been set back by 20 years. The Government, she complained, had systematically tried to promote an atmosphere of fear to discourage people from asking questions. “Sawal mat pooch, Gabbar aa jayega”, she added to the merriment of the media at the Constitution Club.

The opposition would formulate a Common Minimum Programme to initiate country-wide protests against ‘demonetisation’ and corruption, she declared. Notebandi, she said, had affected the poor the most and rendered them unemployed.

She was addressing a joint press conference along with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Jaiprakash Yadav of RJD, Tiruchi Siva of the DMK and others. While DMK, IUML, JMM, RJD and AITC joined the Congress Vice-President, several other parties like NCP, SP, BSP and the Left parties stayed away. Both Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi dismissed suggestions of opposition disunity and claimed that all opposition parties were together in opposing demonetisation. Some leaders of other parties may have been busy, said Banerjee while the Congress leader smilingly added that parties do have local compulsions.

Continuing with her barbs, Banerjee said that the NDA Government at the Centre was so fearless that they did not fear anyone and anything.

The Congress leader reiterated his allegations of ‘personal corruption’ against the Prime Minister and asserted that he expected the PM to respond. One of the Congress leaders named in the Sahara papers, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, had offered to cooperate with an investigation, he pointed out. “So, why can’t the PM agree to a probe?”

Asked whether his decision to lead a Congress delegation to the Prime Minister earlier this month had made a dent in opposition unity, the Congress leader explained that it was his commitment to the farmers that he would personally communicate to the PM their demands. “That is why I had gone to meet the PM. I spelt out the demands and asked him waive farm loans and ensure a higher support price to the farmers. But he did not say a word in reply,” he added.

Demonetisation was irrational, he reiterated, and said it amounted to robbery of the poor. “Gareebon se kheencho aur ameeron ko seencho” (take the money from the poor taxpayers and give it to the rich) seemed the Government policy, he quipped.