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Opposition unity need of hour: Mamata

She asked all the opposition parties to unite against the government’s “draconian decision” and warned to take the agitation beyond Parliament, on to the streets. Describing the present situation worse than Emergency, she said: “Farmers are in trouble. How can they withdraw money for their crops, seeds, if the government restricts the withdrawal limit to Rs 25,000,” Banerjee added.

“They are shutting down cooperative banks. NABARD is not giving loans. The economy of this country is in an extremely vulnerable condition,” she mentioned.

Banerjee is also likely to visit PM Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, Chandigarh, and Ahmadabad, sources said. However, dates have not been confirmed yet. 

Banerjee took a dig at the Center for failing to bring back black money from abroad. “First, the government should fulfill its promise to bring back black money from abroad, and then it should go for demonetisation,” Banerjee said. 

She also said, “We are not opposing the move, we are requesting to implement it in a proper way. We are in favour of the ban on Rs 1000 old currency notes. But allow both old and new Rs 500 currency notes so that people can buy their daily household goods.”

Indicating a growing bonhomie between the Congress and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on the demonetisation policy, Mamata Banerjee has asked her party men to be present at the Indira Gandhi Centennial Lecture on Saturday. Notably, the Bengal CM was present on Jawaharlal Nehru’s 125th year celebrations last year held at Vigyan Bhawan.

Political analysts have dubbed the move as a step by Mamata to unite all opposition parties against the Modi government’s demonetisation scheme. 

“Given that Congress is demanding debate on demonetisation as per Rule 56 in Lok Sabha, which is being refused by the ruling party, the growing bonhomie between Congress and TMC would give strength to the voice of opposition parties in the Lower House,” a senior political commentator said. 

The demonetization issue has given her a better plank to unite the opposition, the analyst added. 
Banerjee on Thursday had warned the Centre that there will be intense protests and unrest if it does not withdraw its ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. The TMC president had also visited the Reserve Bank of India to check the progress of printing new notes.

“Modi has broken constitutional rules...Why did not you (Modi) make a proper plan before the implementation (of demonetisation),” Mamata Banerjee had said.
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