India’s opposition step up attack on Govt.
For the second consecutive day of the winter session of parliament, India’s opposition parties attacked the Union government for demonetizing high-value denomination notes citing the inconvenience caused to common people.
The opposition leaders shouted slogans against the government in an attempt to corner the BJP that is heading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
On Thursday, a controversial comment made by senior Congress leader and the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who compared the people who have died in the aftermath of the demonetization move to victims of the Uri terrorist attack, was removed from the records.
BJP retaliated to the Congress with parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar seeking an unconditional apology from Azad. Central minister Venkaiah Naidu criticized the comments calling it “atrocious, anti-national.”
Though the ministers and leaders from the government explained that the decision to ban Rupees 500, and 1000 currency notes were taken in the national interest to curb black money, fake currency, and corruption, the opposition remained uncompromising on their demand to withdraw the decision. But, the government has reiterated that the decision will not be rolled back.
The opposition did not allow continuing the parliamentary procedures demanding the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to answer the questions of the opposition. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that he will reply to the debate in the Rajya Sabha.
In the meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Admi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee staged a protest at Azadpur Mandi in Delhi against demonetization.
Banerjee served an ultimatum to the government to withdraw the decision saying it would take the country backward by 100 years.
Ramping up the protest against the government, the Congress, on Thursday, announced that it will conduct interaction programs with the citizens to spread awareness about the adverse effects of demonetization starting November 20. The program has been named ‘Money ki Baat’ to mock Modi’s monthly radio program ‘Mann ki Baat.’