PM Modi must apologise for issuing financial emergency: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday alleged that the government's demonetisation drive has unleashed financial anarchy and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tender an apology to the nation.

Questioning the government's decision, Congress leader Anand Sharma said it is illegal to stop an individual from accessing their own money.

"Without weighing the consequences, this whole episode has unleashed financial anarchy, this undeclared financial emergency. The reality is that today the people of India - the farmers, the farm labours, the poor, the unorganised sector workers, the small retail business and the average citizen - have been adversely affected," said Sharma.

"What is happening in India is a continual illegality because the money which is there in the bank accounts of the people is their own money and nobody neither the Prime Minister nor the Finance Minister or the Reserve Bank of India have any legal power or authority to deny Indian citizens access to their own bank accounts," he added.

Sharma asked Prime Minister Modi to apologise to the nation for issuing this financial emergency.

"The Prime Minister, who is answerable now for the 74 deaths which have taken place, should apologise to the people for inflicting this hardship and suffering on them," he added.

The Lok Sabha earlier today witnessed tumultuous scenes as a united opposition stuck to its demand to discuss the demonetisation issue under rules entailing voting.

As soon as the House assembled, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated that the Question Hour should be suspended to start the discussion. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, however, did not allow the suspension.

Opposition members belonging to the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Samajwadi Party trooped into the well of the House raising slogans against the government. Amid the din, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya with the opposition demanding the Prime Minister's presence in the House and payment of compensation to those who died of trauma while queuing up before banks and ATMs following demonetisation of high value currency notes.

The House was adjourned twice till noon as Opposition repeatedly trooped into the well

Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi asserted that the demonetization of high value currency is just a beginning of his government's deep and continuous struggle against black money.

Addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting here, the Prime Minister said the decision is in the interest of poor and middle class, adding that his government is dedicated to eradicate the evils of black money and corruption which have affected people in the last 70 years.