PM Modi should be held responsible for post-demonetization deaths: Sanjay Nirupam

 City unit Congress president Sanjay Nirupam on Tuesday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be held responsible for the deaths of "70 people" that are reportedly linked to the demonetization move.

"Seventy deaths happened since November 8 due to chaos following the cash crunch (in the aftermath of demonetization decision)," Nirupam claimed at a street corner meeting at Byculla in South Mumbai. The meeting was the part of a Congress' awareness programme "Money ki Baat" in the wake of scrapping of Rs 500 and 1000 notes, and its implications. "People died while standing in queues to withdraw their own money, due to inability to get medicines, due to (financial) hurdles in marriages of their daughters and the shortage of money to get medical attention.

"Modi should be held responsible for the crisis and the deaths. He should apologise to nation for hardships caused to people," the Congress leader said. Amid the hardships faced by people in the form of cash crunch and long queues outside banks, Nirupam demanded that printing of currency should be expedited to meet the shortage of money. "People have deposited Rs 5.45 lakh crore in their bank accounts (post demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes) but withdrawals are only Rs 1.36 lakh crore," he said.