Notes ban is economic dacoity by government: Rahul

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's notes ban (demonetisation) decision is economic dacoity by the government.

He said Modi divided the country between the one per cent super-rich and the 99 per cent honest people of the country.

"Notes ban wasn't against black money or corruption, it was economic dacoity. Modi-ji has created a divide between one per cent super rich and 99 per cent honest people of the country," said Gandhi while addressing a rally in Almora.

"Not a single black money holder has been arrested so far. There are 50 families who had taken loans. The scheme was to waive off the loans worth Rs 8 lakh crore of these families," he added.

Gandhi said: "When farmers don't pay loans, the government snatches their lands and houses. But when rich don't pay loans, they call them defaulters and their debt Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). The government restructures their loans but doesn't recover it."

He demanded that the Modi government release in Parliament the list of names of those who hold black money in Swiss banks.

"About 94 per cent of the black money is in Swiss bank accounts, gold and real estate. Just 6 per cent of black money is in cash," said Gandhi.

"Modi has not listened to the farmers but has forgiven Rs 1.40 lakh crore in loans to 15 rich people ... but not farmers."

He said: "They say notes ban is a surgical strike on corruption, but this is actually fire-bombing on India's poor."

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on November 8 in a bid to curb black money and corruption in the country.

--IANS

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