NDA govt taking away poor people’s money: Cong

SHILLONG, NOV 8: The ruling Congress today accused the BJP-led NDA centre government of taking away the money of the poor people by deducting certain amount from their respective bank accounts.

“The Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proudly announced demonetization against corruption but he himself is deducting money from the banks. What do we call this, is it not corruption when money of people are being taken away,” Deputy Chief Minister Roytre C Laloo told reporters here on Wednesday.

Speaking at the sidelines of the Black Day organized by the Congress against the implementation of the demonetization by Centre last year, Laloo said that several complaints have been received about the banks’ recent regulation that people should have minimum amount of money in their bank accounts.

“Failing to maintain this minimum amount of money, the banks have started deducted up to Rs 100 from people’s bank accounts. Why has the money of the poor people being taken away and we strongly protest against this,” he said.

Terming the exercise of demonetization, which was launched to fight against black money, as a total failure, Laloo said, “Was it necessary to have demonetization is a big question when most of the black money has turned into white money.”

He said this is because of the fact that there are so many people who have black money, they never kept in cash but are keeping their money in the form of “gold and real estate”.

“There is no ban on gold and real estate, the ban is on the cash and in the process their money has turned white,” he said.

Asked in regards to the state of Meghalaya, the deputy chief minister was apt in his reply when he claimed that tribal people does not have black money.

“Black money is money which has not been assessed but what black money do we have as tribal in Meghalaya,” he said.

The Congress veteran leader further reiterated that demonetization was not necessary in view of the fact that the nation is back to its original position in which it used to be and that is the using of cash.

“The utilization of cash has come back to the same line despite the disturbances after the November 8 declaration by PM that 500 and 1000 notes have been banned,” he said.

“We know what follows is thousands of people rushing to get rid of their demonetized notes and the citizens were badly affected. The destruction of old notes has also caused the government to print more notes without applying their mind, the government done all these things in a hurry,” he added.

Also calling the centre’s decision a failure, Laloo said despite the big talk to combat against fake currency being pumping into the economy but it was reported in one particular state bordering Bangladesh about the entry of fake Rs 2000 notes.

“About Rs 240 crore of new notes have been seized by the authority,” he said adding “It was also noted that when people are dying to obtain few thousand rupees but those who have closed connection have collect crore and crore of money.”

Asked, he said that issue of demonetization will definitely be one of the agendas of the Congress for the upcoming Assembly election as it has badly affected everybody.

Meanwhile, the Congress also organized a candle light vigil as a mark of remembering those people who have lost their lives due to demonetization.

“We remember the several people, who have died because of standing in long queue in exchange of notes and lack of medical help due to refusal of accepting old notes,” Laloo said.

Up to November 15, last year, he said it was reported that 25 people died and till November 18, 33 people have died and more than 100 people have died by the end of the last year.

By Our Reporter