The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday staged a demonstration against demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes.
A. Narayanan, district secretariat member of the party, said the Central government should permit use of the two currencies – Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 – in all commercial establishments, hospitals, pharmacies and grocery stores until normalcy returns.
“This will help the common people to carry on with their day-to-day requirements. The Central government did not take adequate preparatory measures prior to announcing the demonetisation of the two currencies,” he said.
The party condemned the Centre’s demonetisation announcement that brought the country to a grinding halt. “Even the ATMs need to be configured to dispense the new Rs. 2,000 currency notes. If these things were done earlier, this kind of a situation could have been averted,” he added.
With an individual allowed to withdraw Rs. 24,000 a week from his/her account, he questioned how persons arranging for marriages or those who have to meet hospital expenses will be able to manage with this amount.
He also condemned the move to apply indelible ink on the fingers of customers. “This is an autocratic move and is against the freedom of an individual for drawing money from his/her own account,” Mr. Narayanan said.
The party also opposed the demonetisation move as it was announced without consultation in Parliament.
“This will not help in curbing black money as people possessing black money hold it in assets form,” he added. About 300 members took part in the protest.
A member of Youth Congress, Gudiyatham assembly constituency, Navin, tonsured his head in protest against demonetisation.
He tried to sit in protest in front of a bank at Gudiyatham but police personnel took him away.
In Tiruvannamalai, Vandavasi and Chetpet, the party organised a demonstration against demonetisation.
