AMN /
NEW DELHI: The opposition has planned countrywide protest on Monday against what they call the government’s “mismanagement” of the currency ban. Only the Left Front, which has a presence in Kerala, Bengal and Tripura, has called for a strike or ‘Bharat Bandh’ in the three states, other parties have termed protest as “Jan Aakrosh Diwas”.
The Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party said they do not want a strike but will hold protests across the country. The Congress has called it a “Jan Aakrosh Diwas”.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who had started the call for a unified protest against the currency ban, will hold a march in Kolkata at 1 pm. Sources said a turnout of at least 1 lakh people is expected. The Aam Aadmi Party will hold a protest at Central Park, the heart of Delhi.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is staying away from the protests, saying he supported the currency ban and was “convinced” that it would help in the fight against black money.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, however, said no ‘Bharat Bandh’ has been called and that opposition parties will only hold protests across the country against demonetisation.
Calling demonetisation a political move, Ramesh said it had brought all economic activity to a standstill.
“It is a political decision for three reasons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in ‘dhamaka’ (publicity oriented) approach to politics. This is a dhamaka which has changed the narrative. From November 8 there is no other talk but of demonetisation,” he said.
Ramesh said demonetisation decision was also taken as Modi had seen the writing on the wall in UP, which is due for elections next year and wanted to do something dramatic. The third reason was to cover up his failure to bring back illegal money stashed abroad, he said.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took on the opposition at the BJP’s Parivartan Rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar, asking whether it was preferable to put a stop to corruption and black money or shut down the country.
The Congress hit back, saying it has not called for a Bharat bandh. “Misinformation has been spread by the BJP which is ill-informed,” said senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.