From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Protest causes traffic snarls
Bengaluru, Nov 8: With the ruling Congress party as well as CPI and AAP observing the first anniversary of Narendra Modi’s demonetisation against high value currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 as a "black day’’ and taking out protests in different parts of Bengaluru on Wednesday, traffic snarls were witnessed in many parts of the city, especially in the central business district, with huge pile up of vehicles.
Traffic bottlenecks were observed on the busy J.C. Road, K.G. Road, Nrupatunga Road, Mysore Bank Circle, Palace Road, Majestic, Anand Rao Circle, Sheshadri Road and other areas.
While the Congress workers took out a rally from Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Maurya Circle to Freedom Park, AAP led a rally from RBI premises on Nrupatunga Road to Kandaya Bhavan on K.G. Road and the CPI organised protests at Mysore Bank Circle, all of which were held simultaneously leading to traffic jams.
Wearing black bands tied across their foreheads as a sign of protest, Congress leaders from the state gathered at Freedom Park, in the city centre, holding placards and shouting slogans against Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the note ban move.
"What good did the note ban do, except for bring the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) down," questioned Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dr G. Parameshwara at the Congress party rally.
"The GDP has dropped to 5.7 per cent (in the first quarter of 2017-18) from 7.9 per cent (during the same quarter) in 2016 as a result of demonetisation,’’ he said pointing out that former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s dire prediction had proved prophetic.
Several Youth Congress workers also joined the protests in the city, with a number of labourers and vegetable sellers taking part in it. Interestingly, some Congress leaders were seen pushing vegetable carts as part of their protest.
The Aam Aadmi Party leaders in the city also took to the streets in a silent protest, holding placards against demonetisation.
"I was made to beg for my own money," read one of the placards.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had termed demonetisation as a "thoughtless" act by the Prime Minister.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also took part in the protest along with the AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, Dr Parameshwara, Home Minister B Ramalinga Reddy, KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao among others marched from Maurya Circle to Freedom Park in the city.
"With 99% of the banned notes coming back, one cannot distinguish between what is black money and what is white. But today, Modi has issued advertisements comprising lies and false statistics," Gundu Rao said during an address.
"Modi had said if demonetisation failed, he should be hanged. Should we hang Modi now?,’’ he asked.
"The note ban was projected as a surgical strike against black money and terrorism. But it turned out to be a surgical strike against the common man," Venugopal said.
"Is Modi ready for a debate on this in Parliament? He knows the difficulty people faced and that's why he won't be ready for a debate," he added.
On the other hand, the opposition BJP is celebrating the day as Anti-Black Money Day.