PM must apologise for hardships caused by note-ban: Nirupam

As part of Congress' country-wide agitation against demonetisation, leaders and workers from city unit of the party today held a protest and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "jeopardising" the lives of countrymen through his note-ban exercise.
The protest was held at the Suburban District Collector's office, where a large number of Congress leaders and workers, including Mumbai unit President Sanjay Nirupam, were present.
"Countrymen have been reeling under the devastation caused by demonetisation. Modiji you had asked 50 days from the people of the country (to restore normalcy) but it has now been two months and the people are still running from pillar to post to get their own money.

"As many as 138 people have died so far (at banks/ATMs while exchanging banned notes or withdrawing cash) but you have not shown even basic courtesy to condole their death," Nirupam said.
"You must tender an unconditional apology for jeopardising the lives of countrymen," the former Lok Sabha MP said while addressing the party workers in suburban Bandra.
"This notebandi would turn into votebandi for the BJP. Lakhs of poor people from North India staying here are leaving Mumbai after losing their jobs. Banks are still cashless and 37 BJP leaders have been caught across the country carrying black money worth Rs 649 crore," he said.

Some senior Mumbai Congress leaders were conspicuous by their absence at the protest site. Former MPs and ex-Union Ministers Gurudas Kamat and Milind Deora did not attend the demonstration, while another local party heavyweight Priya Dutt appeared at the gathering at the last moment.
Subhash Chopra, Congress leader from Delhi, however, suggested all is well in the party. "I am very happy that the agitation has been successful. The entire party has rallied behind in the Congress leadership. In addition, demonetisation has united everyone against the BJP-led Government."
Kripashankar Singh, former President of Mumbai Congress, also appealed to workers to convert notebandi into votebandi (voting against BJP).