Pradhan tells Odisha Govt. demonetisation no reason to shut educational institution

Union Minister of state for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday questioned the Government of Odisha as to why it had decided to close all government run schools and colleges citing demonetisation as an excuse.

"What is the relation of schools and colleges with demonetisation? Why has the Odisha government gone two steps ahead and closed schools and colleges. Maybe, they are also somewhere hurt by the demonetisation drive. It is clearly visible by their move," Pradhan told ANI.

On Sunday, the state home department directed all district collectors to take precautionary measures to ensure peace during the opposition protest.

The Utkal University at Bhubaneswar has temporarily postponed all examinations which were scheduled to be held today.

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.

Prime Minister 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.

Addressing the BJP's Parivartan Rally in Kasya assembly segment of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister said, "On the one hand we are initiating steps to curb corruption, but on the other hand a few people are talking about 'Bharat Bandh'."

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