JD(U) to abstain from agitation, not to participate in protest led by Mamata Banerjee

In pursuance of party chief Nitish Kumar support to demonetisation, JD(U) has decided to keep off from the nationwide protest by Opposition on Monday against the scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes as well the dharna to be held by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on November 30.

“We have supported and welcomed the Centre’s demonetisation move. Then how can we oppose or be the part of activity like bandh which is meant to protest the issue which our party has strongly supported,” Bihar unit JD(U) President Bashishtha Narayan Singh told PTI on Sunday.

Singh attended a high level party meeting held by party chief President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last evening to take a decision on Monday’s stir called by Opposition parties to corner the Narendra Modi government over the ban on denomination currencies to fight blackmoney.

The meeting chaired by Kumar was attended by senior party functionaries K C Tyagi, R C P Singh, Harivansh, Bashishtha Narayan Singh, Pawan Verma, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh and others.

In addition to keeping away from the November 28 agitation, JD(U) would not participate in Banerjee’s dharna in Patna on Wednesday to demand roll back of demonetisation.

“JD(U) will not be part of any agitation against demonetisation including the dharna of Mamata Banerjee on November 30 in Patna,” party Secretary General K C Tyagi said.

“We have taken an ideological position in favour of demonetisation so how can we be part of any agitation seeking its roll back,” Tyagi said while stating his party’s stand on the proposed agitation as well as the sit-in by TMC chief, who is on the forefront of agitation against demonetisation.

Kumar on Friday had said that he had a talk with Mamata Banerjee only before her visit to Rashtrapati Bhawan to meet President Pranab Mukherjee against the demonetisation.

“She had spoken to me before going to Rashtrapati Bhawan and I had pointed to her that even the President has supported demonetisation,” Kumar had said about parleys with Banerjee.