The opposition leaders led by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi staged a protest against the demonetisation drive in front of the Gandhi statue in the parliament premises on December 8. The opposition has reportedly named December 8 as Black Day, a day that marks one month of the announcement of the demonetisation drive by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to reporters, Rahul Gandhi said that the drive has hit the poor, farmers, daily wage workers among others. Gandhi further said that demonetisation wasn’t a bold decision but a foolish one, that had been taken without any due consideration. Speaking of the Prime Minister’s reasons for the validation of the demonetisation drive, Gandhi said that PM Modi’s narrative had changed. It started by saying that the drive was against black money, then shifted to terrorism, moved to counterfeit currency and was now sitting at the cashless economy, he added. Gandhi spoke about cashless transactions and said that if he was allowed to speak in the parliament, he would tell everyone how Paytm was actually a process of “Pay to Modi”.

Gandhi spoke about the PM’s absence in the parliament and said that the PM was running away and if he came to the House for a debate, he won’t be allowed to. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also agreed with Gandhi and said that the PM had earlier asked for 5 days, then w5 weeks and then 50 days but the situation hasn’t even gotten better by 50%.

Opposition stage protest at Gandhi statue inside Parliament premises over demonetisation issue. (ANI)
Opposition stage protest at Gandhi statue inside Parliament premises over demonetisation issue. (ANI)

Meanwhile, Venjaiah Naidu expressed his frustration at the opposition’s continued protests and said that this not a “Black Day” but a Black money support day. Speaking to reporters he said that, “Kala diwas’ nahi, kala dhan ke samarthan diwas hai”. Union Minister Ananth Kumar meanwhile said that the Opposition was merely staging protests to garner media space while the government was ready for a discussion in the parliament.

Venkaiah Naidu further said that Mahatma Gandhi had given the call for Satyagraha so that the victory of truth prevails but the namesake Gandhis were merely observing protests. Rahul AGndhi meanwhile took shots at the Prime Minister again and said that the Prime Minister was laughing and having a nice time while the people of the country were suffering. Speaking of the narrative of a cashless economy, Gandhi said that the idea behind it was to give maximum benefits to a few people which had damaged the nation.