Launching a nationwide campaign against the government’s demonetisation drive, Congress workers today staged protests at Reserve Bank of India (RBI) offices at several locations across the country.
While senior party leader Anand Sharma led the protests in Delhi, in Mumbai, where RBI has its headquarters, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala was at the forefront. Similar protests were also carried out by the party at RBI offices in Assam led by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi.
Sushil Kumar Shinde, Shankersinh Vaghela and Bharatsinh Solanki detained by police in Ahmedabad during Cong protest against demonetisation.
The Congress party has planned nationwide campaign against note ban starting today with its workers gheraoing the offices of the RBI. Senior party members are leading the protests, which will continue till January 23.
The party is targeting the Narendra Modi government for failing to restore cash flow even after 70 days of demonetisation, and has also accused it of ruining the autonomy of the central bank.
“Modi government's and the RBI's decision to not lift the weekly withdrawal restrictions of Rs 24,000 is a treachery with people of India,” Surjewala said yesterday.
“RBI, instead of playing the role of an independent monetary regulator and a key denominator of economic growth, has become a mere post office following the diktats of Modi government like a captive puppet,” he added.
The decision to hold a countrywide campaign against Centre’s demonetisation drive was taken at the Congress’ recent Jan Vedna Sammelan where party vice-president Rahul Gandhi had said that “achche din will come when Congress comes to power again”.
"Modi ji keeps on saying he will transform India's economy. We know now that the beginning of the end has come... But the worst is yet to come," Manmohan Singh had said at the Congress' Jan Vedna sammelan.
Yesterday, with the IMF cutting down India’s growth forecast by 1 per cent citing Centre’s demonetisation move, the Congress party took a swipe at PM Modi likening the currency ban with Pakistan’s unsuccessful attempts at hurting India’s pace of development.
