Mamata Banerjee visits RBI office in Kolkata, meets traders at Burrabazar

Two days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal staged a dharna in the national capital outside the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) office, Banerjee on Saturday afternoon visited Kolkata’s RBI office and lashed out at the Centre.

“In the name of black money, Centre is carrying out loots across the country. This anti-people government must withdraw this decision and allow old Rs.500 currency notes to remain in the circulation. People cannot access their savings account. This is being restricted. Is their money safe? The country wants to know. The whole of rural India is crying, farmers are crying. If food is not available what will the common people eat? Plastic?” Banerjee asked.

She met the Regional Director of RBI, Kolkata, Rekha Wadia, who assured her that the RBI had sufficient stocks of cash.

Later, Banerjee went to Burrabazar — central Kolkata’s business district — where she met traders and assured them that she would fight for them. 

“I paid a surprise visit to Asia’s biggest market, Burrabazar. Heard the problems of hawkers, traders, mazdoors, shopkeepers and commoners, all expressed deep anguish. They are saying, in the last 10 days, their businesses have suffered hugely. Some of them are saying that their businesses are down to zero,” she said, adding that she would continue her protest against the Centre.