RBI could be shielding PM Modi's demonetisation fiasco: Congress

In a scathing criticism of the Budget 2017, the Congress attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for their lack of accountability in the entire demonetisation episode.

Speaking to ANI, Congress Leader Dwijendra Tripathi said, "Centre should also tell if this was a surgical strike on the black money, then should also tell where the black money is? They are answerable to the public, and they must also tell how much of black money is received."

Tripathi further criticised the attitude of the RBI and branded it as an ally of the Prime Minister's.

"The Reserve Bank is saying that they haven't counted the notes they have received, when everybody knows that once the money is deposited in banks, it is counted at the end of the day and catalogued," he said.

"Therefore we believe that Reserve Bank is also trying to shield the government, and there is more to what meets the eye", he added.

Talking about the Budget session in Parliament, the Congress leader further added that it was deplorable of the Centre to go back in history and recall how 92 years back such a merged budget was issued.

"It's sad that they have based their ideals in the epoch when India was under foreign dominion and had no constitution of its own," he said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in January, that there will be no separate railway budget from next financial year, putting an end to a practice that started in 1924.

Jaitley presented the General Budget proposals for 2017-18 in Parliament yesterday and said the major thrust of his fourth budget is on stimulating growth, relief to middle class, affordable housing, curbing black money, promoting digital economy, transparency of political funding and simplification of tax administration.