DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin on Saturday said the scrapping of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes had caused enormous hardship to middle class, farmers, traders and fishermen.
In a statement, he said even the government had not come out with any plan to make the exchange of currency easier for the people. “Even though the Centre’s move was aimed at eradicating black money, it has actually hit the ordinary people hard. On the one hand banks have very limited notes of Rs. 2,000 and on the other people are not able to utilise the money for lack of smaller denominations,” he said.
“Goods transport has borne the brunt and small traders have lost their business. People are standing in queue in front of banks and ATMs for hours together while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling in bullet train in Japan,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Stalin said that since fish was a perishable commodity, fishermen , who were not able to sell their catch, had called for an indefinite strike. “Finance Minister O. Panneerselvan has not yet announced any measures to make it easier for people and fishermen,” he said.