Demonetization | Mamata, Kejriwal launch joint attack on PM Modi; seek info on currency from RBI

Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetization with the AAP chief asking the government to roll it back in three days while the TMC supremo said such a crisis was not seen even during Emergency.

Addressing a rally here, Kejriwal alleged that demonetization was the "biggest scam" in Independent India's history while Banerjee said Modi should not run the country through "dictatorship", calling the protest a fight to save the country.

The Delhi Chief Minister alleged that demonetization was being carried out to write-off around Rs 8 lakh crore of loan owed by Modi's "corporate friends" by collecting Rs 10 lakh crore from the people through the exercise.

"Black money is flooding the market again. Notes are being home delivered to some people. This is independent India's biggest scam. The government wants to amass Rs 10 lakh crore by forcing the people to deposit their money in banks and use that amount to write off loans of Modiji's friends.

"Modiji sent Vijay Mallya, who has huge debt, to London one night. He has also brought people to the streets (following demonetization). People are being cheated. Why did IT not raid former BJP Minister G Janardana Reddy who spent Rs 500 crores in his daughter's wedding? And they want us common people to spend Rs 2.5 lakh in a wedding," he said.
Kejriwal also took a dig at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley wondering if he spent only Rs 2.5 lakh in his daughter's wedding recently.
"Modiji, do not fool people saying standing in line is patriotism. Who is responsible for the death of 40 people standing in queues?," he said, addressing traders at Azadpur wholesale fruit and vegetable market.

The Delhi Chief Minister also made certain allegations against Modi pertaining to his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, claiming to base his allegations on documents given to him by a someone sitting in a top position in the Finance Ministry.

In her address, Banerjee attacked the Prime Minister and made light of the argument that people should use plastic money, saying only 4 per cent people in India use cards for transaction.

Asserting that she will continue her fight for the people, Banerjee challenged the government to take any action against her. "I am not scared. I will continue my fight. If you have courage, put me in jail, shoot me."

Calling her fight against demonetization a fight to "save the country, a fight for the poor and hungry people", the West Bengal CM said India had not witnessed such a crisis even during Emergency.
"This decision may take the country 100 years back. The government is coming out with a decision every day. The day before yesterday it was said the limit for exchange is Rs 4,500, today you say it is Rs 2,000.

"The other day it was said indelible ink will have to be put on fingers. What is going on? Are we servants, are we thieves and you are honest. Is everybody a thief?" she said.
On plastic money, Banerjee said use of cash has been basis of India's economy, adding if money does not reach people, then there may be severe problem of food in the country.
"The Prime Minister who goes abroad so frequently, has forgotten the smell of our land...The provisions of the Constitution are being breached. We did not have this kind of a situation during Emergency," she said.

She also rejected the demand by some opposition parties to set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe demonetization, saying such committees in the past to probe various issues did not yield any result.

Questioning the government's committment to check black money, she also asked what steps it has taken to bring back ill-gotten wealth stashed abroad.

Kejriwal and Banerjee also held a demonstration outside Reserve Bank of India in Delhi, wanting to know availability of currency.
Both the Chief Ministers drove straight to RBI office in Parliament Street from a rally in Azadpur wholesale market in East Delhi where they made a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetization.

"How much currency needed? How much printed? What is capacity? How many more days will it take? Myself and Mamta di at RBI to get this info," Kejriwal tweeted.

Banerjee said they came to RBI to know whether the Central bank has enough currency or not. "Our main apprehension is shortage of currency. We are here to check whether there is enough cash to disburse among the people." TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who along with some other TMC MPs accompanied Banerjee, said officials of RBI failed to come up with satisfying answer when asked about availability of currency for distribution.

"They gave us last year's report on the availability of notes. Ultimately the two leaders had to go without getting any satisfying response," she said.
Few RBI officials spoke to Kejriwal and Banerjee when they were camping outside the bank.

Security personnel struggled to maintain order as a huge crowd gathered with some raising pro-Modi slogans while some others cheered for Kejriwal.
One Rachna Wadhwan who was waiting to take out money from RBI complained to Banerjee and Kejriwal that she has been standing since morning to take money to buy medicine but the line has barely moved. "I am a patient of blood pressure. I have been standing since morning. I told them about my plight," she told reporters later.