Coming down heavily on the situation created by the Centre’s decision on demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday described the situation as “financial emergency” and said that the worst sufferers were common people.
Addressing a gathering at Jagdhatri Puja celebrations at Chandannagar in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, Ms. Banerjee said that “a bandh like situation” was prevailing in the State, where markets and commercial establishments have remained shut.
“I was coming here, I did not have money to buy sweets to make offering for the Goddess,” Ms. Banerjee said, adding that all the currency notes she was left with were of Rs 500 denomination.
“Instead of giving 15 lakh to every person they are taking away whatever people have,” she said. This “strange situation” has surfaced because the government “wants to illustrate that it can do something,” Ms. Banerjee said.
The issue has also brought arch rivals Trinamool Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) on the same page
Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said that most of the black money was parked outside in foreign countries. “This move is nothing more than creating an anarchic situation for the people,” Dr. Mishra said.
“The harassment of suffering India will increase. Does d( the) PM want 2 (to) promulgate emergency taking d plea of terrorism and chaos he precipitates?” he said on social media.
