BJP informed 'friends' beforehand about demonetisation decision, alleges Kejriwal

Dubbing the demonetisation of high currency notes as a "huge scam", Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged on Saturday that the BJP had told all its "friends" about the move much before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement and demanded its immediate roll back.

He termed the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as "surgical strike" on common man's "small savings" and not on "black marketeers".

To substantiate his claim, Kejriwal alleged that Sanjeev Kamboj, who heads BJP's Punjab legal cell, was seen with new notes of Rs 2,000 on social media days before the Prime Minister announced withdrawing high value currency.

"From July to September, there had been a sudden jump in deposits of money in banks which clearly indicates that BJP had told all its friends much before the announcement of demonetisation by the PM. It is a huge scam," he said in a press conference.

Kejriwal claimed that black money would not come in the system by demonetisation.

The chief minister also showed a news channel's report which claimed high jump in deposits in banks during July-September quarter, adding that before that period, deposits in banks were "very low". "In the name of black money, a huge scam is operating in the country. People are suffering as there is no cash in ATMs. Since early morning, they have to stand in long queues outside banks and ATMs. Through demonetisation, black money will not come in the system," he said.

Kejriwal also posed three questions to the Prime Minister and BJP president Amit Shah on withdrawing higher currency notes.

"What according to the Prime Minister is the definition of black money? Have India's top industrialists amassed black money or the common man like farmers, rickshaw-pullers, shopkeepers and labourers did.

"BJP should disclose a list of all its friends whom it had told about the demonetisation much before the Prime Minister's announcement and that settled their black money," he said.

Kejriwal said BJP should also come out with a list of touts who are taking commission from common people in exchanging their invalid notes with new ones, cashing in the situation and where is the money collected by them going?