TMC leads opposition demonetisation protest at Jantar Mantar

The Trinamool Congress staged a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar here to press Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rollback his government's demonetisation drive.

Simultaneous protests will also be held across West Bengal, said sources, adding that the TMC has appealed to NGOs, charitable organisations, political parties, student groups, civil society representatives and others to join the protest against this "financial emergency".

Janata Dal United Rajya Sabha member Sharad Yadav also joined TMC's protest against Demonetisation.

The opposition on Wednesday put up a united front against the Centre over demonetisation, as they formed a giant human chain outside the Parliament chanting slogans and carrying placards, fervently demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence in the House.

The chain began from the entrance of parliament near the media stand and stretched across the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

"The nation is standing in line and we are doing just that here," Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien, Janata Dal (United)'s Sharad Yadav, and the DMK's Kanimozhi were among the almost 200 Opposition MPs gathered in Parliament premises.

"Not a surgical strike, but carpet bombing on people", "Stop the persecution of common people" and "Save poor people", were some of the slogans on the placards held by the leaders.

Meanwhile, senior Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar, are holding a meeting in Venkaiah Naidu's chamber to decide the government's strategy in parliament.