Azad takes on PM, says anyone questioning BJP is either "anti-national or Pakistani"

Drawing sharp flak from the government for comparing the impact of the notes ban with terrorist attacks, leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday shot back at the ruling dispensation and said that anyone who questions the BJP is either is dubbed as an "anti-national or Pakistani".

Launching a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Azad said that never in the history of the nation has the country suffered like this because of a government announcement.

"We are with the government when it is about fighting black money. The black money, which is stashed in foreign soil, should be brought back. Our Prime Minister had promised that he will bring back the black money stored in banks abroad and give every Indian national 15 lakh rupees. He has not brought back a single penny," Azad said.

"And in hurry as he knew that the Parliament session is going commence and people like me will question him over his promise of bringing back the black money so to avoid all questions he did this," he added.

The senior Congress leader also questioned the government's preparedness prior to implementing this move.

"The way the government has made four announcements in a week shows that they don't have currency. How can you make such a big announcement for such a big nation without making proper currency arrangements? I asked that who is responsible for these 43 deaths which happened in the recent past. One thing more is with the BJP that you cannot pose questions to them," said Azad.

"All the political parties questioned the unpreparedness of the government to that the BJP said all who are questioning the Centre's move possess black money. So, it is like when you question the BJP either they call you anti-national or Pakistani and this is how they curtail every voice raised against them," he added.

Azad also urged the Centre to apologise to the nation for making it suffer because of its poorly thought policy.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party should apologise to the 125 crore people of the nation. The party should apologise to the farmers, the labourers, the business men running small scale businesses and the people who don't have enough food stock with them from past one week. The daily labours are not getting their wages. 43 people so far have dies out of hunger," he said.

Azad earlier in the day drew parallel between the demonetisation drive and the Uri terror attack.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Azad said that the Pakistani terrorists did not kill half the people in Uri than the number of people who have been dead due to the government's wrong policy.

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha today witnessed a riled opposition yet again locking horns with the government over the move to scrap Rs. 500 and 1,000 currency notes that has triggered chaos and confusion across the nation.