The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday called the Narendra Modi government’s decision to abolish Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes an autocratic announcement – ‘Tughlaqi Farmaan’, saying it will only cause inconvenience to the aam aadmi. It also said that the intention of the Narendra Modi government doesn’t seem to unearthing the black money.
“On Tuesday night Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an autocratic announcement – a Tughlaqi Farmaan - that 500 and 1000 rupee notes will stop being used as currency with immediate effect and it is being advertised as a surgical strike against black money,” the party said in a statement.
“The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has always fought against black money and corruption. We are committed to make India free of the twin evils of corruption and black money,” it said.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party said that after the Centre’s decision to demonetise black money it held intense discussion and consulted economists and experts but found no logical answer on how exactly this move will help in curbing the menace of black money.
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“AAP has since held intense discussions on this issue, consulting several economists and experts to find out exactly how will this move stop black money. Unfortunately we found no logical answer on how this move will end black money. On the contrary many queries arise,” the party said.
“The whole country is in panic. TV channels showed how a person passed away but the hospital refused to release his body as the family did not have the currency to pay for it. People cannot buy milk for their children, they are going without rice and flour. There is panic and confusion at the petrol pumps, toll plazas and hospitals,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.
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“How could Modi take a decision that affects 125 crore people just like that? Farmers, poor people, small businesspersons and traders are in a lot of difficulties. Go to a slum and you will see that 1000 rupee notes are being traded for 800 and 500 rupee notes for 400!” he added.
“The BJP should answer that when it stopped 500 and 1000 rupee notes overnight why has it introduced new 500 and 2000 rupees notes? You are encouraging black money; you had said that if the big notes are removed then one would have to carry 10 lacs in sacks. Earlier, those who were paying Rs 1000 notes as bribe, are you trying to make their job easy by introducing higher denomination 2000 currency note,” he added.