Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Maken along with party workers takes part in a candle march protest on the 2nd anniversary of demonetisation, at Parliament Street in New Delhi, Friday, Nov 9, 2018
Launching a tirade against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on the second anniversary of demonetisation, which rendered Rs 500 and 1000 notes as illegal tender, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said it was a carefully planned criminal financial scam.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress said it was a Modi-made disaster.
Taking a strong exception to demonetisation, the opposition said it was a scam to convert black money into white.
Taking a swipe at Modi, Rahul said the demonetisation had caused great destruction of economy and rendered many people jobless.
The Congress held protests and observed black day in various parts of the country, criticising the central government for the destructive move.
Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of demonetisation, the BJP said Friday that a war is going on in Indian politics with the Narendra Modi-led government working to curb black money while the Congress president trying to save it.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Gandhi's comments were nothing but a pack of lies and that he has been speaking from the same script for long.
India has been progressing under Modi while the Gandhi family has been left behind, he said.
Demonetisation, whose second anniversary fell Friday, destroyed the "ill-gotten wealth of the four generations of the Gandhi family", Patra alleged, claiming that the move, which had made notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 invalid, led to many benefits, including increase in tax base, curbing black money and hitting Naxalism.
Several other opposition party leaders including Mayawati and Arvind Kejriwal also chastised the BJP government for demonetisation.
Congress demands white paper on demonetisation
The Congress on Friday demanded a White Paper on what was achieved by "imposing" demonetisation that, the party claimed, adversely effected the country's economy.
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said the prime minister has not answered to queries raised by the party and former prime minister Manmohan Singh on demonetisation and the government should come out with a White Paper.
He was talking to reporters after joining the Youth Congress workers in a protest outside the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) office in the national capital.
Biggest scam after independence, says Himachal Pradesh Congress
Demonetisation was the biggest scam in the country after independence, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhvinder Sukhu alleged on Friday.
The Congress's state unit Thursday had observed black day on the second anniversary of demonetisation.
J-K Congress holds anti-govt protests
The Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit took out an anti-government rally and protested near the RBI office in Jammu with its leaders courting arrests on the second anniversary of demonetization on Friday.
Led by AICC Secretary Sudhir Sharma, over 300 party activists blocked the road and protested near the RBI Office.
Raising slogans against the Modi government, they alleged that the "ill advised step" of demonetisation has ruined the economy, job market and affected the country's development.
Congress protests against demonetisation in Punjab, Haryana
The Congress on Friday held demonstrations across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh against demonetisation and slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for "adversely affecting the economy and causing hardships to people" with the "ill-conceived" move.
Congress activists led by Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar and Punjab cabinet minister Balbir Singh Sidhu protested near the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) building in Chandigarh's Sector 17 on the second anniversary of demonetisation.
They raised slogans against the Centre describing the exercise as an "anti-people" decision.
Youth Congress members protest outside RBI office against demonetisation
Youth Congress members accompanied by senior party leaders Friday staged a protest against demonetisation outside the RBI office in New Delhi and were detained by police.
The security forces forcibly took the protestors to police station in a bus.
"Around 70-80 Congress protesters, including Ashok Gehlot, Anand Sharma and Bhupinder Singh Hooda have been detained," police said.
Mayawati seeks apology from BJP for demonetisation decision
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati Friday sought an apology from the BJP for the demonetisation decision, saying the move did not meet any of its objectives and only "aggravated" problems of the people.
The party, which promised to bring back black money and ensure "acche din" for people stands exposed, she said, adding that due to this "resentment" is brewing among the people.
AAP equates demonetisation with 9/11
The AAP Thursday termed demonetisation a "tragedy" and likened it to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the US, as party chief Arvind Kejriwal questioned the rationale behind suddenly banning a bulk of the currency and claimed it was a "self inflicted deep wound" on the Indian economy.
"Though the list of financial scams of Modi govt is endless, demonetisation was a self inflicted deep wound on Indian economy which even two years later remains a mystery why the country was pushed into such a disaster ?," Kejriwal said on Twitter.
( With inputs from agencies )
