An exasperating cash crunch has gripped India in the week since the federal government took the unprecedented step of withdrawing the country’s large currency notes from circulation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised the nation by announcing an instant ban on the Rs500-rupee and Rs1,000 bank notes, worth about $7.50 and $15, respectively, and which account for 86% of the cash in the market.
Indian media reported that at least five people have died of exhaustion while waiting to change money outside banks, and that three children have succumbed to illnesses that private hospitals would not treat because their families had only old notes.
The issue heats up both houses of Parliament on Thursday as an united opposition demanded a debate on demonetisation under a parliamentary provision that entails voting while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her New Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal lead protest march against demonetisation move in New Delhi.
Congress: No debate until PM present
The Congress said on Thursday there would be no discussion on the demonetisation issue in the Rajya Sabha until Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House, a demanded later rejected by the government.
“We raised this issue in the Rajya Sabha yesterday (Wednesday) that the demonetisation announcement was made by the prime minister, therefore, he should have been present in the House, and should have listened to the opposition, and answered too.
The government later rejected the demand for Modi’s response on the debate, accusing the opposition of using it as an excuse to scuttle parliament proceedings.
Centre’s Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters that a reply to the debate will be presented by the minister concerned or any other person on behalf of the government as per the rules of the House and precedents.
The opposition disrupted the Rajya Sabha, stalling midway the discussion on demonetisation that began on Wednesday.Mamata, Kejriwal give three days ultimatum
While addressing a rally at Azadpur Mandi in Delhi, Mamata Banerjee gave an ultimatum to the federal government to withdraw the demonetising scheme in three days reasoning that the process will take the country backward by 100 years. “The crisis of this proportion was not seen even during the Emergency,” she said.
Joining her on the stage, Arvind Kejriwal said that demonetisation is the biggest scam of Independent India. “People will deposit Rs10 lakh crore and Modiji will waive off loans amounting to Rs8 lakh crore given to his corporate friends,” he claimed.Mayawati criticises the Centre
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday criticised the Centre’s apathy towards people’s hardships and said the opposition would not let the demonetisation debate in parliament continue unless PM Narendra Modi was present in the house. Criticising Modi’s apparent angst attitude towards the situation, Mayawati said: “If he is serious about the people, then he must come and speak.”
