Centre is not taking 'nervous' Mamata's ultimatum seriously: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is just nervous and trying to provoke the masses against demonetisation as the Centre is not taking her ultimatum seriously and is trying provoking people.

"When Mamata Banerjee saw that the government is not taking her ultimatum seriously, she went to Delhi to protest, where she did not get success and now she is trying to provoke people here in Kolkata, so that they agitate," BJP National Secretary leader Sinha told ANI.

He further said that Mamata has been reduced to taking such steps out of sheer anxiety as in spite of all her efforts, not a single person is opposing Prime Minster Narendra Modi's demonetisation policy.

Earlier today, Mamata visited Burrabazar market here and interacted with the people standing in queue outside Reserve Bank of India (RBI) office.

"Paid surprise visit to Asia's biggest market, Burrabazar. Listened to problems of hawkers, traders, mazdoors, shopkeepers, commoners. All expressed deep anguish. All caste, community, creed spoke about their big problems they are facing. Belonging to all States, especially UP, Bihar, Punjab. They are saying, last 10 days, everything is down to almost zero. Very sad situation," she said in a series of tweets after her visit.

On Thursday, she issued an ultimatum to the Centre to rollback the decision in three days or face intensified protest.

"If this decision (demonetisation) is not taken back in three days, we will intensify our protest. Today they announced that only Rs. 2,000 can be exchanged and not Rs. 4,000. What's going in their minds?" wondered Banerjee.

The TMC supremo, who was addressing a rally of traders, farmers and labourers at the Azadpur Mandi here, compared the present state of affairs with Emergency and alleged that demonetisation would take India backward by 100 years.