As Union Ministers panned out on Wednesday to extol the virtues of demonetisation on the first anniversary of its implemenration, six Left parties staged a demonstration in the capital, lashing out at the government for celebrating the “death and misery” of the people.
Addressing the protesters, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said the Modi government has been manufacturing lies.
“Exactly what are they celebrating today? They are celebrating the misery and joblessness of India. They are celebrating the loss of lives of people, who died while standing in queues and those who continue to die with no jobs,” Ms. Karat said.
Even the Reserve Bank of India statistics prove that the exercise helped in changing black money to white, she said.
“The Modi government has created two records in the world. One, it made people stand in queues and many people lost their lives; Second, though Modi tried to tell the people and the world that by demonetisation he would stop black money, in reality he has helped hoarders change black money into white,” she added.
The Left parties took out a march from Mandi House, the cultural hub of Delhi to the RBI office. They were stopped near the RBI building.
CPI stand
CPI leader D. Raja questioned the “achievements” of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation.
“Demonetisation followed by GST has led to economic disaster. Millions of people are going through hardships. Where is the black money that they unearthed in the country or from abroad? There is no straightforward answer still from the government or RBI. The government should accept it is a failure,” he said. “They announced the celebrations only when we announced our protests.”
