Opposition to raise demonetisation in Winter Session

The government might witness a rare unity among the Opposition parties in Parliament against its move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 during the month-long Winter Session, beginning  Wednesday.

The Congress called it a “jumla”, while the Trinamool is willing to set aside its rivalry with the CPM to fight the issue together. Both the parties have made it clear that they would give notice to suspend business in both Houses to take up the demonetisation issue.

On Saturday, the Congress called the move a “jumla” (gimmick) and asked the BJP to furnish its expense account for the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other states.

Party spokesperson Kapil Sibal also wanted the BJP to set up a commission of inquiry into all expenses made by it before 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence from the country when the public is facing “harassment and inconvenience”, Sibal said the decision was taken "in haste without proper planning" due to which people are suffering.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, one of the first politicians to go public against the decision soon after the announcement was made on November 8 night, said she was willing to work with the CPM to fight the “undeclared emergency” imposed by the “anti-people” Modi government.

"We may have ideological differences with CPM but we are ready to work with them and other opposition parties like the Congress, SP, BSP to save the country. The Congress, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh, (Arvind) Kejriwal have protested against the issue," she said.

CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said Modi made the announcement without any plan or preparation, claiming that the move will “put brakes” on the economy and “hurt” the poor.
DH News Service

‘Opposition playing politics of rumours’
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday took exception to ‘politics of rumours’ which he lamented opposition was indulging in to raise doubts on the government’s knock at black money, DHNS reports from New Delhi.

Jaitley singled out what he said “imaginary stories” circulated in the social media — such as, leak of information on demonetisation prior to November 8 announcement, chip in new currency notes, about digital lockers and salt crisis — to say that these are “concocted rumours” and attempts to take “liberties with truth”.