Demonetisation: United opposition to take on govt in Par, outside

In a rare show of unity, ten major opposition parties today came together and resolved to corner the government on demonetisation within and outside Parliament even as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged banks were giving cash to a few "through the back door" while the poor were made to stand in queues.
Finding a common ground on demonetisation which has caused hardship to people, leaders of Congress, Trinamool Congress, JD(U), BSP, CPI(M), CPI, NCP, RJD, JMM and DMK held a meeting in the national capital this morning to forge a common plan of action with an aim of mounting attack on the government.

Leaders of these parties will hold such strategy sessions every morning before Parliament assembles during the ongoing Winter session, sources said.
It was decided that MPs of these 10 parties will stage a sit-in near Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the Parliament complex on Wednesday. This will be followed by a march to Rashtrapati Bhawan, date for which is being worked out, the sources said.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who visited several ATMs this morning and interacted with people, claimed he was told that cash was being taken out surreptitiously from the back door in the banks for a few "selected people" while there were long queues of common people waiting outside for hours.

"They said they are in the queue and deals are being made and cash is taken out from back door. And some selected people are given that cash. Those who are rich getting that and those who are poor they are made to stand in the queue.

"They will be in the queue for three days and then they will leave (without cash). People are facing losses because of this," he said.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark that the country will come out like gold after this exercise, the Congress leader said, "I feel the coffers of the PM's own 15 or 20 people's will be filled up and their loans will be waived. Poor people, those who are in the queue, will only suffer losses."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged the Prime Minister was threatening parties raising voice against demonetisation and said she will hit the Delhi streets to protest against the government action.
"The Prime Minister is threatening other parties who are raising their voice against demonetisation. PM should be sober. PM should behave like a PM. If necessary, he should convene an all-party meeting on the issue," Banerjee told a press conference in Kolkata.
"There is no ego fight. There should be a plan of action on demonetisation. My humble submission is that let us work together to solve the issue. The people are suffering," the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

BJP hit back at Banjerjee, accusing her of spreading "canards" about demonetisation and asked her to come clean on the charge that her party received huge funds from a fictitious company before 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
"Mamata Banerjee resembles the comic character of 'Betal'. She keeps on blabbering lies, false statements and canards. She should stop spreading those lies. She is questioning the Prime Minister, but what is her credibility?" BJP general secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said.