Congress seeks probe into 'huge transactions' prior to demonetisation

Claiming that "BJP people were informed beforehand" about the governments move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes leading to huge transactions in bullion and diamonds, the Congress on Sunday demanded a court monitored probe into the alleged transactions.

"We have already brought the charge and we will raise it again that they (the BJP) had informed their people about the (demonetisation) move. There have been huge transactions in bullion, diamonds, foreign exchange and securities prior to the demonetisation," said senior Congress leader Anand Sharma.

"A list needs to be drawn about all these transactions and they need to be probed by a Supreme Court monitored panel," he said.

Pointing to crores of people queuing up outside banks to exchange the now demonetise currency notes, the former Union Minister accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "mocking" the people of the country.

"Modi has insulted and mocked the people of the country in a cruel manner. Crores of people have been standing in queues outside banks with many of them not having food for days now. Does the Prime Minister think all these people are black money hoarders or criminals?.

"The government in August had informed parliament that only 0.02 percent of the nearly 17 lakh crore currency in circulation is counterfeit, does that mean as much as 86.40 percent of the money is circulation is black money," he asked.

--IANS

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