Oppn to mark note ban anniversary as 'Black Day'

 The Opposition on Tuesday said they would mark the first anniversary of demonetisation next month as 'Black Day'.

“Demonetisation was an ill-conceived and hasty decision. It was a great betrayal of the people... the Opposition is compelled to observe its first anniversary on November 8 as Black Day,” Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

He was flanked by Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien and JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav.
A day after mulling joint protests against demonetisation, Azad announced that each political party would carry out protests marches or demand shutdowns to interpret 'Black Day' in the manner of its choice.

“All 18 parties will interpret Black Day in a different way,” O'Brien said, underscoring that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was the first leader to oppose demonetisation within hours of the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, 2016.
Asked why the Opposition was not undertaking a joint protest, Azad said all regional parties cannot be in New Delhi on November 8.

“That is the reason the coordination committee has decided to have protest in every state according to the capacity of various Opposition parties. Our purpose is to show our unity,” he said, adding that the Opposition leaders would meet again to plan a joint strategy for the Winter Session of Parliament beginning next month.

Azad said demonetisation was a hasty move and never before was an announcement by the head of the government subjected to 135 amendments.

Terming demonetisation as the “scam of the century”, the Congress leader said Modi had promised 10 crore new jobs in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections but the note ban decision had rendered 10 crore people unemployed.