Demonetisation is like 'all-India unannounced strike': Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday likened the Narendra Modi government's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to an "all-India unannounced strike" and appealed it withdraw the "hasty" decision to save people from "disaster".

She requested the Modi government to instead frame a plan of action and act in accordance with it.

"Please save people from this disaster. Roads are closed, markets shut, patients not being admitted to private hospitals, millions affected. Chaos everywhere. This is like an all-India unannounced strike," Banerjee said on Twitter.

Later, addressing the media, she said the central government should have redistributed currency notes of smaller denominations through banks and ATMs before demonetising the higher denominations.

Claiming "those who hoard large amounts of black money will be protected", Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said Modi promised to bring back the black money stashed in foreign banks when he came to power, and asked how much of this has come back to India.

She reiterated that the poor and middle class are suffering for the demonetisation decision.

"The poorest of the poor and middle class are crying. I once more appeal to the government to withdraw this hasty decision. First do a plan of action and only then do proper implementation. This is a complete disaster," Banerjee said.

"Banks generally provide few notes of smaller denominations like Rs 50 and Rs 10 during cash withdrawals. I myself withdrew Rs 50,000 yesterday (on Tuesday) to run my expenses and all I was given were Rs 500 notes," she added.

--IANS

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