Opposition seeks PM's resignation as note ban woes continue

Following the note ban on November 8, the PM had said the situation would normalise by Dec 30

With the 50-day grace period sought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end demonetisation woes nearing its end on December 30, eight Opposition parties on Tuesday came together to demand his resignation, saying the note ban was a failed experiment and resulted in miseries for the people.

Following the note ban on November 8, the PM had said the situation would normalise by December 30, urging the citizens to bear with him.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded the PM’s resignation saying the situation on the ground will not change in the next three days.  “Will you resign if note ban woes don’t end after December 30… we will wait for three more days… no miracle is possible in three days… What is the hidden agenda?” Mamata asked as she targetted the PM. “Demonetisation is a mega scam… in the name of achhe din, the Modi government has looted farmers, poor people,” she said.

 

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi said, he would put pressure on Modi to resign, if the PM did not explain the unilateral move which had made the millions suffer. “We want the PM to explain note ban… if he doesn’t, we will put pressure on him to resign,” said Gandhi adding, “Demonetisation has made no impact on black money… it is an attack on financial independence, poor people.”

The Congress vice-president reiterated his charge that PM Modi had taken money from some corporates and sought an independent probe into the Sahara-Birla diaries cited by him recently.

When reminded that the same documents also carried the name of senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, Gandhi said the former Delhi chief minister was ready for an investigation. “But why is the PM shying away from a fair probe… It is about the PM’s personal credibility,” he said.
 

Dikshit, too, tweeted expressing similar views.

Besides Gandhi and Banerjee, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Tiruchi Siva, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader J P N Yadav, All India United Democratic Front leader Badruddin Ajmal and representatives of Indian Union Muslim League and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha also attended the meet held at the Constitution Club. 
 

However, Left parties, Janata Dal (United) and Nationalist Congress Party skipped the gathering.

Gandhi played down their absence saying parties had local compulsions and he respected that. He claimed that all Opposition parties, who had jointly protested against note ban during the winter session of Parliament, were on the same page. “There are small differences. Broadly all Opposition parties agree that note ban was a failed experiment,” said Rahul, adding, “Opposition unity was a process.”

Banerjee said, though her party had political differences with the CPI(M) in West Bengal, the two parties could come together for a larger cause. 
 

The Opposition parties will hold further parleys to work out a common minimum programme to take the note ban protests across the country, especially in poll bound Uttar Pradesh, and put up a joint show during the budget session slated for January-February next year.