PM 'solely responsible' for cash crunch: Cong

The Congress today alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "solely responsible" for the cash crunch in the country, claiming that it was a result of his demonetisation decision.

Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the government of doing politics instead of focussing on governance.

Senior party leader and former finance minister also said the "ghost" of demonetisation had come to haunt the government and alleged that the Rs 2,000 notes were printed only to help hoarders.

He also said there was a possibility that people had lost confidence in the banking system due to the "bank scams" and they were not putting their surplus money into the banks.

Khera alleged that the government and its mouthpieces were coming up with fresh excuses daily, but they had to answer questions about where the people should keep their money as the cash crunch and scams had shattered their faith in the banking sector.

"This government is continuously doing cheap politics all day long and and is not focussing on governance. How will the country run like this? There is a cash crunch in the country and the government and its mouthpiece are coming out with new excuses and theories," he told reporters.

Khera alleged that the cash crunch was was a result of demonetisation for which the prime minister was solely responsible.

The Congress leader also asked why only one-sixth of the daily requirement of cash was made available to banks which were asking the RBI for more cash supply.

"If you keep your money outside the banks, then the bigger Modi (Narendra Modi) has problems and if you keep the money in the bank, then the 'Chhota Modi' (Nirav Modi) will take it away and flee abroad," he alleged.

Khera said the government had no answers except saying that it was a temporary situation. He claimed the situation was temporary as the government was here for only a short time and there was only one more year for it to go.

"People are paranoid about their money. They are insecure about their money. They do not know the fate of their hard-earned money which they deposited in the banks," he said.

Noting that the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were not giving answers to the critical issues raised by the public, he said, "The government is vague about everything which is critical to the common man."