CPI-M lashes out at PM for demonetising notes; Mamata urged Centre to rescind ‘hasty decision’

Kolkata: Lashing out at Narendra Modi government for scrapping Rs 1000 and 500 notes, CPI(M) Bengal unit secretary Surya Kanta Mishra today accused BJP of “replacing governance into a circus in the country.”

Mishra said demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes is just a gimmick ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

“The announcement made by the prime minister about demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes is not going to yield any positive results as the days of stashing black money in secret places in homes are long gone. People now stash black money in tax havens abroad and invest it in real estate business,” Mishra said.

“This is a gimmick ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections.

BJP and RSS will try to milk political dividends out of this.

Everything will be done at the cost of the common man. It seems that the BJP government is trying to replace governance with circus in the country,” Mishra said.

Taking the nation by surprise, the prime minister last night announced demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, making the notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.

Mamata urged the Centre to rescind the ‘hasty decision’

Kolkata: Hitting out at the Modi government for demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday said it has resulted in “complete disaster and chaos”, and urged the Centre to rescind the ‘hasty decision’.

“Please save people from this disaster. Roads are closed, markets shut, patients not being admitted to private hospitals, millions affected. Chaos everywhere,” Banerjee said in a statement.

Claiming the “poorest of the poor and the middle class are crying”, she said, “This is like an all-India unannounced strike. Those who hoard large amounts of black money will be protected”.

“I once more appeal to the government to withdraw this hasty decision. First do a plan of action and only then do proper implementation. This is a complete disaster,” she added.

Last night Banerjee had accused Modi government of “scripting a drama to divert the attention from its failure to bring back black money from abroad”.

PTI