Poor not sleeping peacefully: CM

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his statement that poor are enjoying a sound sleep after demonetisation, saying it is an “insult” to the common people. 

“The PM in his speech said that the poor are sleeping peacefully. This is an insult to commoners and in bad taste,” the TMC supremo said in a tweet after Modi’s statement in Ghazipur. “My humble suggestion is not to hit the common people like this,” she said.

Banerjee said while the masses have been victimised and crushed under the weight of demonetisation, many economists are now predicting the onset of recession. “This will be a killer for the common people. Already a staggering Rs 1.5 lakh crore of GDP has been lost by the economy in only six days,” she said in a statement.

Banerjee, who is in the forefront of the opposition’s attack against the Modi government on demonetisation issue, had said she was not averse to working with arch-rival CPI(M) and other opposition parties like Congress, SP, BSP to fight against the “anti-people” government which has imposed an “undeclared emergency”.

Banerjee claimed that thousands of trucks carrying vegetables and essential goods were stuck at different state borders as they could not pay tax.

“They were waiting for three days. To save farmers and commoners, perishable vegetables should not be allowed to spoil. The Bengal government has decided not to impose any agricultural tax on movement of trucks for next three days,” the chief minister said. She said thousands of trucks all over the country carrying essential goods and perishables were facing a huge cash shortage.

The issue would become even more serious over the next few days and would push up prices of essential goods beyond control. Quick action was needed, she said.

The demonetisation of high value currency has triggered a full blown political war between a united Opposition  and the Modi government as Congress, TMC, AAP, SP, Left and BSP on Monday spoke in one voice to dub government’s move to root out black money as a failed step. The Opposition argued that in the name of curbing black money, common people are being made to suffer.

Hitting out at the Congress and other parties which are opposing demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the corrupt were upset while the poor were “enjoying a sound sleep” after his decision and urged people to bear some inconvenience to root out graft.

“After demonetisation, the poor are enjoying a sound sleep while rich are running from pillar to post to buy sleeping pills,” Modi said as he tried to rally public support in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, picking up from where he left on Sunday in his speeches laced with emotion and aggression in Goa and Belagavi. 

Stating that he understood the inconvenience being faced by people due to demonetisation, Modi compared his action to a new whitewash which gives out pungent smell, but is necessary.

Congress and seven other opposition parties on Monday met to formulate a joint strategy to corner the government over various issues including demonetisation that has caused inconvenience to the people ahead of Winter Session of Parliament beginning November 16.

Leaders of TMC, RJD, JD-U, CPI, CPI-M, JMM and YSR Congress met the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad in his room in Parliament House and discussed the strategy on how to unitedly take on the government in view of the hardships faced by the common man. 

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal said that government had no game plan before making the big announcement on November 8 as people are seen struggling in queue outside bank. Kejriwal also said that an emergency session of Delhi Assembly has been called on Tuesday over demonetization crisis.

Kejriwal also said that an emergency session of Delhi Assembly has been called on Tuesday over demonetization crisis. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav gave a sharp reaction to Modi’s emotional appeal to bear the hardship for 50 days. “First he said things will get better in few days, then he said it will take 10 days. And in Goa he said 50 days,” said Yadav.

BSP chief Mayawati, on the other hand, claimed that Modi is losing people’s support after demonetisation as his rally in Ghazipur on Monday saw a poor turnout.