Ready to work with CPM to save the country: Mamata Banerjee on demonetisation

Taking her apprehension against demonetisation of Rs 500/1000 notes to a new level, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said she is ready to even work with CPM, despite ideological difference with them, to save the country. “We may have ideological differences with CPI-M but we are ready to work with it, Congress, SP, BSP to save the country. The anti-people Modi government has imposed an undeclared emergency in the country,” said Banerjee in a press conference in Kolkata.

“Congress, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh ji, (Arvind) Kejriwal have protested against the demonetisation issue. Let all the opposition parties work together to save the country,” she said, adding that BJP will lose deposits in upcoming elections.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of conducting a surgical strike on the common people in the name of unearthing black money, she said that the demonetisation move was taken without any proper planning causing immense hardship. “The Modi goverment had misled the people on the surgical strikes (in POK). The people do not know what had happened,” she said.

Turning to Modi’s statement from Japan on the future steps to curb black money, she said, “Now the Prime Minister is threatening the people of the country from foreign land. What will he do? He can put us in jail or shoot us for raising voice. I don’t care. He can also declare emergency,” she said.

Demanding immediate withdrawal of the ‘draconian’ decision to demonetise Rs 500/1000 notes, Banerjee said the government’s move without proper planning was dangerous. “I personally visited several banks today to listen to tales of hardship of common people. More than two lakh ATMs are closed, money is not available; people are facing lot of problems,” said Banerjee.

Calling the government anti-poor, the chief minister asserted that a few money launderers are profiting due to this ‘black decision’. “Only 1 % people hold black money; why are the other 99% being harassed for this,” said Banerjee adding that it is a betrayal with people.

Banerjee reiterated that the common people were facing hardships because of government’s decision.”A sudden midnight decision was taken. But few people in the ruling party knew about it,” she said.

Trinamool Congress has already given a notice in the Rajya Sabha for a discussion on the demonetisation issue on November 16, the opening day of winter session of Parliament. TMC leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay has said the party would bring an adjournment motion in the house on the same day. Mamata also penned a poem on the demonetisation issue.