Govt. pulls up "irresponsible" Oppn, calls for debate on demonetization

Asserting that the entire nation is backing the government's demonetisation drive, Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ananth Kumar on Monday reprimanded the opposition over the planned 'Aakrosh Divas' and said that they must engage in parliamentary debate instead of acting in an irresponsible manner.

"If they are protesting then they should be protesting against corruption, black money, fake currency and terrorism. I just don't understand that they are fighting in an opposite direction. The entire country, people of India, are with the government in this crusade against black money and corruption under the leadership of Narendra Modi but the Congress and other opposition parties are acting in a opposite direction," he said.

" Even today I want to tell them that if you want to show your anguish protest against corruption, black money and terrorism, participate in a debate in both the houses we are ready to give reply also but I don't understand why they are running away from debate and working in a opposite direction," he added.

The opposition parties have called for a countrywide protest today against what they call the government's "mishandling" of the currency ban. Only the Left Front, which has a presence in Kerala, Bengal and Tripura, has called for a strike or 'Bharat Bandh' in the three states.

Banks, ATM services, post offices, hospital and medical clinics, ambulance, milk, water and power supplies, newspapers and marriages would be out of the purview of the strike.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday slammed the opposition for its all-India shutdown call over demonetisation, saying the country instead needed an end to evils like corruption and black money.

He described demonetisation as a cure to the 70-year-old disease of corruption.