Akhilesh wants Modi, Jaitley to ease demonetisation in private hospitals

Relaxation would help the general public, especially the poor to tide over difficulties arising due to demonetisation, says Akhilesh

A day after ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav urged the Centre to suspend its decision to demonetise high value Indian currency notes in 500 and 1,000 denomination, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union finance minister Arun Jaitley in this regard.

In his letter, Akhilesh demanded that the private nursing homes, hospitals and medicine shops be allowed to accept existing notes of 500 and 1,000 denomination till November 30 in the larger interest of people.

He maintained the relaxation would help the general public, especially the poor to tide over difficulties arising due to demonetisation.

Akhilesh noted a large population still depended on the private sector for their medical needs in emergency situations and in such circumstances, the people had been facing grave hardships due to paucity of legal tender with them. In some cases, the patients were even dying for want of medication, he underlined.

Meanwhile, addressing a select gathering at the Raj Bhawan here this evening during the unveiling of UP Governor Ram Naik's book, Akhilesh took a swipe saying he wished that old series notes be accepted at the counter selling the book. Union home minister Rajnath Singh was also present on the occasion.

On Thursday replying to a question during a news conference here at the SP headquarters, Mulayam had urged the Centre for a week's relaxation to allow people brace themselves for demonetisation and facilitate easy transition to the new series of currency notes.

He claimed the abrupt announcement of the decision on Tuesday night had caught people unawares and they were facing untold hardships.

Stressing SP was against Black Money, Mulayam said SP had always been raising the issue of Black Money and was supportive of any drive against the menace. "However, we oppose the decision of the Narendra Modi government to abruptly discontinue currency notes, since the poor, women and unemployed are the hardest hit," Mulayam underlined.

He demanded women be allowed to deposit up to Rs 5 lakh with assurance of no penal action.