The DMK, led by its treasurer M.K. Stalin, on Thursday staged a massive protest against the hardship caused to the people due to the Centre’s demonetisation scheme, by forming human chains across the State for an hour in the evening.
While Mr. Stalin participated in the protest in Chennai, regional leaders led the protests in the districts and Puducherry Chief Minister and Congress leader V. Narayanasamy joined the human chain in the Union Territory.
Slamming the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000, Mr. Stalin said while the DMK was not opposed to the plan to eliminate black money, the sudden and unplanned announcement had caused untold hardships and misery to the small traders, middle and lower middle class citizens, and traders. “This protest is not to condemn the demonetisation by the Centre, but to condemn its implementation (without adequate planning),” he said.
“The Central government keeps saying the people are with them, they are supporting this move…even the Tamil Nadu government might say that. But people are struggling and are queuing up outside banks and ATMs for long. This situation has to be rectified,” the DMK leader said in his constituency, Kolathur.
Mr. Stalin had flagged off the protest at Purasawalkam here, before setting off on an open
autorickshaw towards Kolathur. At Kolathur, he got down from the auto and joined the human chain for a few minutes. Elsewhere in Chennai, DMK cadre formed a human chain, leading to traffic jams.
Mr. Stalin also slammed the Centre for the shoddy implementation and the introduction of the Rs. 2,000 denomination note. “The government should have ensured that Rs. 100 denomination notes and the new Rs. 500 notes were in adequate supply before banning the old notes. If they had done that, the people would not be suffering like this. People with black money are not affected at all,” he said.
Various leaders and former ministers of the DMK led the protests in all districts. The protesters carried placards slamming the Centre and the State government on the issue.
