People still struggling due to demonetization 'blunder': Gehlot

Days after the third anniversary of the demonetization of high-value currency notes, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for committing the 'blunder' and not taking any responsibility for it.

In a series of tweets, Gehlot claimed that 120 people had lost their lives due to the 'short-sighted' decision taken by the NDA government and that people were undergoing its grave repercussions even after three years.

Demonetization of currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 was announced with immediate effect on November 8, 2016 by Modi during his first term as Prime Minister.

"Prime Minister and his associates committed the blunder of demonetization and have not even taken its responsibility. They have become silent about demonetization after 2017 assuming people would forget about it. They feel the country will not remember it any longer," Gehlot tweeted.

"120 Lives were lost due to #Demonetisation. The people would certainly hold NDA government responsible for this shortsighted decision even though the govt may try to shun the responsibility for the same," he said.

The three-time chief minister said that lakhs of small industries and enterprises got adversely hit by the decision and had to shut down leading to job losses.

He said as a consequence the Indian economy's international ranking has been put in the negative category.

Claiming that demonitization is perhaps the perfect example that exhibits the BJP's 'flawed governance model', Gehlot said the people who suffered due to it are still struggling because of its repercussions.

"The assault of demonetisation on the country done three years ago destroyed the economy of the country and many lives were also lost due to this," he said in a tweet.

"No black money has come back, no fake currency has been unearthed, terror attacks have not reduced. The so-called aim of demonetisation lies unfulfilled. Instead, about 1 lakh people have lost jobs and this still continues. The unemployment rate is highest in 45 yrs and GDP has reduced," Gehlot said.