Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who raised questions about the re-emergence of the blacklisted, U.K.-based currency printing company De La Rue coinciding with the demonetisation drive, followed it up by demanding a Chief Ministers’ conference to take stock of the situation following the drive.
Talking to mediapersons here on Sunday, Mr. Chandy said the much-awaited address to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after completion of the 50-day limit he had put to set right the disruption caused by demonetisation was a total disappointment to the people as there was no mention about demonetisation, its rate of success in achieving its original goals or the steps being taken to alleviate the people’s misery.
‘Different solutions’
“The Prime Minister talked about the patience of the people, but did not mention the 115 persons who had died on account of the misery. He did not say when the misery would end. It only shows that the situation has gone out of the Prime Minister’s control. Different regions are facing different crises and they need separate sets of strategies to overcome them. For example, in Kerala, it is the cooperative sector which needs assistance. In other States, it would be different,” he said.
He wanted the Prime Minister to take the Chief Ministers into confidence to tackle the crisis. “This is a federal State and the Prime Minister has to deal with the situation in a democratic way,” Mr Chandy said.
Mr. Chandy also wanted a response from the Central authorities on the issues he had raised regarding the re-emergence of De La Rue. He said he had informed the Central leadership of the party about the issue. “I had done nearly 10 days of homework on this. There is nothing new in what I have raised,” he said. But the Report of the Public Undertakings Committee of Parliament, the company’s annual report, media reports and the interview given by the company official, when read together, give rise to serious questions, he added.
