West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has described the disposing off of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘draconian.’ She demanded the decision to be withdrawn.
Mamata’s tweet said, “The PM could not get back the promised black money from abroad from the rich so a drama to divert his failure…I want to know from PM how my poorest brothers sisters,who’ve recd their week’s hard earned wage in one 500 re note will buy ata,chal, tomo?”
Her next tweet said, “Withdraw this draconian decision.”
Her tweet demanding withdrawal of the decision to do away with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes was shared by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Banerjee also described the announcement as “Heartless and ill- conceived blow on the common people and the middle class in the fake name of anti-corruption.”
WITHDRAW THIS DRACONIAN DECISION
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2016
The PM could not get back the promised black money from abroad from the rich so a drama to divert his failure…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2016
I want to know from PM how my poorest brothers sisters,who've recd their week's hard earned wage in one 500 re note will buy ata,chal, tomo?
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2016
Banerjee’s rivals, the CPI-M, too slammed the announcement.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “absurd” announcement of scrapping Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, CPI(M) today said the decision would have a drastic impact on the financial health of middle class and small traders.
“We are always in support of unearthing black money. But after 2.5 years of silence on the issue, the Centre all of a sudden decided to scarp the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. This is nothing but absurd. This decision will have a drastic impact on small traders and the middle class,” CPI(M) politburo member Mohammed Salim told PTI.
Taking the nation by surprise, the Prime Minister tonight 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.
Meanwhile, President Pranab Mukherjee welcomed Modi’s announcement of demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight.
He said Modi called on him this evening and briefed about the government’s decision to declare that all Rs 1000 and 500 currency notes will cease to be legal tender from midnight tonight.
