Congress launches scathing attack on Modi government over demonetization

From a Correspondent

Tezpur, Jan 2: Coming down heavily on BJP government’s various steps, including demonetization, APCC spokesperson Babita Sharma, at a press meet organized at the Congress office in Tezpur on Monday, said that demonetization was nothing but a surgical strike on the India’s poor section, including the farmers, labourers, shopkeepers, small businesses and middle class people.  

“By wiping away 86 pc of currency in circulation on November 8, rendra Modi has hit at 99 pc of honest-hardworking Indians, while presumably targeting 1 pc black money hoarders following which India’s ‘wheel of development’ has come to a standstill, plunging the entire country into a state of economic archy,” said the State Congress spokesperson, adding further that demonetization had turned out to be the biggest scam of independent India.

She alleged that the BJP was doing nothing in favour of the needy section of the country. ABJP leader of Kolkata unit was caught while depositing Rs. 500 and Rs.1000 notes running into Rs. 3 crore. “However, despite repeated demand the BJP and RSS have not made the money deposited in their bank accounts across the country between March 1, 2016 and November 8, 2016 public. In the run-up to the decision of demonetization, BJP and RSS purchased properties running into hundred crores across the country. Congress has released details of eight properties of Rs. 3.41 crore in Bihar and 18 properties in Odisha. Actual market value of these properties is much higher. Despite this, Modi and Amit Shah have refused to make public the details of properties purchased by BJP and RSS during last one year. Does it not prove that BJP had advance knowledge of the decision of demonetization and was converting its black money into assets immediately before demonetization?” she questioned.

She also alleged that in September bank deposit in scheduled banks saw an additiol increase of Rs. 5, 88, 600 crore. Out of this, fixed deposit made between September 1, 2016 to September 15, 2016 was over Rs. 3 lakh crore. “Thus it not prove advance knowledge of the decision of demonetization and conversion of money?” she said.

 According to her, the Modi government had not been able to explain this or make public the mes of everyone who had deposited Rs. 25 lakh or more. She also questioned that BJP president Amit Shah who is a director of Ahmadabad district Cooperative Bank, Ahmadabad where as much as Rs. 500 crore was deposited within three days of demonetization. “Why Amit Shah has not been investigated yet?” she further asked.

Likewise, putting questions on many BJP leaders’ doubtful stand in this regard, including Mahesh Shah of Ahmedabad, Ramesh Gowda of Kartaka and Subhas Deshkukh of Maharastra, she further said that a number of BJP leaders were caught with stashes of cash. “But we have not seen any action taken against them. Sanjib Kamboj, co-convenor of legal cell of BJP in Punjab put up photographs in social media with wards of new Rs. 2000 currency notes. Manish Sharma, a BJP a leader from West Bengal, close to a Union Minister, was caught with Rs 33 lakh of new currency notes. In Tamil du, Arun, a BJP youth wing leader was caught with new currency notes worth Rs. 20.55 lakh. BJP leader Sushil Baswani was raided in Madhya Pradesh and a lot of ill-gotten money was recovered. But these people are yet to be punished,” she alleged.

Sharma also said that during the 50 days of demonetization, over 115 innocent individuals had embraced death. “Prime Minister rendra Modi should unconditiolly apologize and pay compensation to these families.  Till date RBI has changed its rules 126 times, confusing the people and paralyzing every sector, including the agriculture, small industries, and the tiol income. So Prime Minister rendra Modi should rethink over the issue,” she reiterated.