As people across India continued to queue outside banks and ATMs for money, a splintered opposition yesterday showed the first signs of coming together against Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he took power in 2014 over the demonetisation move.
As they launched separate but sharp attacks on the government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continued her efforts to bring together select parties against the November 8 decision which has sparked an unprecedented mass cash crunch across the country.
And even as Modi justified the demonetisation drive and claimed the poor were sleeping in ease, opposition parties took turns to lambast him for the hardships and suffering of the common people and some called for its rollback or suspension.
The Congress blamed the government for what it said was an “economic anarchy” while the Communist Party of India (Marxist) vowed to pin down the government in parliament.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has urged the opposition to mount a joint fight, termed the demonetisation a “killer” for the common people and accused Modi of insulting the poor by saying they were sleeping peacefully.
“The economy has already lost a staggering Rs1.5 lakh crore in only six days,” Banerjee said in Kolkata.
Banerjee warned that the decision, which has led to millions thronging banks to deposit or exchange the now worthless currency and also to withdraw money, could lead to economic recession.
The West Bengal chief minister will arrive in New Delhi today and meet among others Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who has come out strongly against the demonetisation.
And in a bid to drum up support against the government, Banerjee yesterday telephoned Sitaram Yenchury, whose CPM is her biggest and long-standing rival in West Bengal.
Yechury said the government’s move won’t help tackle corruption and black money.
“Our agenda is to pin the government on the floor of the house,” Yechury said and demanded that the demonetised Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes be accepted by public utilities and hospitals till alternate arrangements were made by authorities.
He said the CPM will decide on Banerjee’s unity appeal only after the government’s response in parliament.
The Congress said it wanted a collective fight against the Modi government.
“The entire country has been plunged in economic anarchy by a dictatorial and autocratic prime minister and his government,” Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said.
“What’s the reason that none of the BJP leaders or ministers is standing in the queue when the entire nation is standing to get their money?” he asked.