Apologise for demonetisation blunder in Dec 31 address, Kejriwal tells Modi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to the nation during his New Year Eve address for his "blunder of demonetisation".

"The Prime Minister has committed a blunder by imposing demonetisation and pushed the country into a deep economic crisis. Modi had sought 50 days to implement demonetisation but there is no sign of people recovering from its aftershocks," Kejriwal said while speaking at a gathering of party supporters here.

Demanding a rollback of the November 8 demonetisation, wherein old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes were scrapped, the Aam Aadmi Party national convener said Modi should announce this in his address, scheduled for December 31 evening, to save the country and its economy.

"There is no other solution other than to roll back the demonetisation," he said.

The AAP leader said the Reserve Bank of India was tightlipped on the quantum of demonetised money, the black money seized after demonetisation and printing of the new currency.

"As per the initial estimates of the RBI, a total of 14 lakh crore rupees was in circulation, which has returned to the RBI whereas only 4 lakh crore rupees in new currency of Rs 2,000 notes has been made available for circulation.

"The Prime Minister should explain how much time the RBI will take to replace the demonetised currency of Rs 14 lakh crore," he said.

Accusing Modi of accepting bribes from big corporates like the Sahara and Birla groups, Kejriwal said Modi should face a probe on the issue.

--IANS

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