From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Nov 8: On the second anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much criticized demonetisation drive, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has demanded Modi to apologise to the nation for “wrecking the economy’’ through his demonetization exercise.
The Congress on Thursday said it will observe a nationwide protest on Friday to mark the second anniversary of the note ban.
The KPCC will hold a protest in Bengaluru and District Congress Committees (DCCs) in all district headquarters on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of high value currencies on November 8, 2016.
KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao and other office-bearers and party workers would stage a protest at the Gandhi Circle near Maurya Hotel in the City on Friday.
The All India Congress Committee has issued directions to all State Congress units and DCCs to organize “Dharna Pradarshan” with placards to oppose the demonetization.
Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted: “Our economy is in trouble & worse is yet 2 come as banking/nbfc sector head towards a meltdown. Demonetisation & wrongly timed/poor implementation of GST have been deadly blows. From our PM,all we get is a deathly silence.”
Karnataka’s Minister for Social Welfare Priyank Kharge tweeted: “Even today the Govt, BJP & RSS are clueless on: why there was demonietisation. What was the impact? How did it benefit? Where is the black money? How it affected terrorism? Whatever happened “digital” economy? Also who is the FM?”.
Kharge said women in rural areas were also one of the most affected by the ill thought out demonitization. They lost huge savings. The money they had saved for their children’s education/ marriage / housing / daily needs, all wiped out!”
The youth wing of the State Congress held a protest on Thursday and condemned the demonetisation decision of the Modi government.
“Two years ago, the Prime Minister announced demonetisation and gave three reasons for it – to curb black money, weed out fake notes and proscribe terror funding. Two years later, none of those objectives has materialised. In fact, there is more cash in circulation today than it was two years ago when Modi announced demonetisation,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told the media here.
The Congress leader said that Modi should apologise to the people of India on November 8 (on the second anniversary) for his ‘Tughlaqian decree’ of demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, then in circulation.
“The Prime Minister should apologise to the nation on November 8, 2018, at same time for ruining and wrecking the Indian economy,” said Tewari adding that Congress leaders and workers will come out on the streets across the nation in protest against the “complete demolition of the Indian economy by this Tughlaqian decree of demonetization.’’