By andalib akhter
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee initiative to oppose prime minister Narednra Modi’s new Monetary policy has evoked overwhelming response from all other opposition parties. They seemed to be united in attacking PM currency scheme as common people suffering across the country.
The opposition parties met in Parliament House today to discuss a united opposition response to take on the BJP-led government in parliament and outside over the currency crunch and its impact on people.
Leaders of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress shook hands with those of arch rival CPM.
Leaders of Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and YSR Congress met the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad discussed the strategy on how to unitedly take on the Government in view of the hardships faced by the common man after the denomination of high-valued notes.
Among those who were present included Sharad Yadav (JD-U), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Sudip Bandopadhyay and Derek O’Brien of TMC, CPI’s D Raja, Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), Sushil Kumar (JMM) and M Rajamohan Reddy of YSR Congress.
Besides Azad, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and the party’s deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma were present.
Opposition SP, BSP and AAP that have strongly criticised the government on the demonetisation issue gave the meeting a miss, besides DMK, AIADMK and NCP.
Mamata Banerjee is in forefront to to spearhead the effort to bring opposition parties together against the government’s decision, suspending her antipathy to the Left for opposition unity as the winter session of Parliament begins this week.
Mamata Banerjee has called upon opposition parties to unite against the Modi government on the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes “in the greater interest of the nation” and said she has no problem in working with arch rival Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
Trinamool leaders said they are attempting to gather about 100 opposition lawmakers to march on Wednesday from parliament to presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhawan to petition the President against the government’s notes ban and demand that it be revoked.
The party has also sought that all other work be suspended in the Rajya Sabha or Upper House as soon as parliament convenes on Wednesday, to discuss hardships faced by people because of a cash crunch since Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly pulled 500 and 1,000 rupee notes in an evening announcement on November 8.
There has been chaos and anger as currency notes have been rationed in new rules, leading to long lines at banks and ATMs and opposition parties have accused the government of being “anti-poor.”
“The government has shut the country, it’s like the BJP organised a Bharat bandh,” said Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, while Sitaram Yechury of the CPM and Delhi chief minister attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying in a speech today that “poor people are sleeping peacefully after the decision”.
The Congress’ Randeep Singh Surjewala said: “Entire country has been plunged in economic anarchy by a dictatorial and autocratic Prime Minister and his government. And it is our duty to raise and champion the voice of the people.”
Normal life was thrown completely out of gear on Monday with banks remaining closed on account of Gurupurb and the ATMs having no cash to dispense. Today is the sixth consecutive day the public is facing cash crisis following the government’s decision to demonetise high denomination currency in the country.
Many people, including the BJP’s own MP Subramanium Swamy, have questioned the ill-preparedness of the government as the country faces an ‘unprecedented’ situation in urban as well as rural areas owing to the huge shortage of cash.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to ban all the high currency notes on November 8, people have been queuing up for several hours every day at the banks, many to be disappointed as banks and ATMs run out of money within the first few hours of opening.