Tharoor shames govt's decision to mark Nov 8 as 'Anti-Black Money Day'

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for celebrating November 8 as 'Anti-Black Money Day', Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that the day should be mourned rather than celebrated.

Talking to ANI, Tharoor said, "It is absolutely shocking to see that the BJP has a goal to celebrate anti-black money day on November 8."

"It should be a day of mourning and not of celebration," he opined.

"About 150 people died because of demonetisation and there has been no accountability from the government for this human tragedy," he added.

The statement of Tharoor came after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's announcement that the BJP will observe November 8, the day when Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation ceased to be a legal tender, as "Anti-Black Money Day" across the country.

Stepping up his attack on the ruling BJP, the Congress leader said the government should apologise to the public for a step like demonestistaion.

He asked the BJP: "How much black money have they been able to unearth because of demonetisation? Out of all the money in circulation, Rs 16,000 crores have come back. It is a disgrace that less than 1 percent money in circulation should be an occasion to celebrate."

Tharoor termed the demonetisation move as "all pain, no gain".

Prior to the BJP's decision to mark November 8 as 'Anti-Black Money Day', the Opposition declared to observe the same day as "Black Day".

The ruling party's move came apparently to counter the Opposition's decision.