Ramping up its attack on demonetisation, the Congress on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tell the nation how much black money, counterfeit currency and terror-financing have been unearthed since November 8.
“Since the surgical strike on 1.2 billion people on November 8,” party spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “the Prime Minister has not been answering crucial questions raised by the Opposition. Over the last three days, he has made two speeches, but there are no answers. Neither the RBI nor the government have said anything on how much black money has been returned and how much counterfeit money has come in.” He also said that Mr. Modi should tell the people how much of a reduction there had been in financing of terror.
The Congress also wanted to know, Mr. Tewari said, in whose custody the Rs 14.86 lakh crore deposited in bank accounts following demonetisation has been kept, and whether the government will destroy the notes under the supervision of the Supreme Court or under a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Criticising the way Mr. Modi had addressed the nation on New Year's Eve, he said that no elected leader has ever spoken in such a “threatening manner, like an invader.” Calling the December 31 speech “a Budget speech outside Parliament,” Mr. Tewari said: “It has never happened before.”
