Delhi Congress to ‘educate’ people on demonetisation effects

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The Delhi Congress on Thursday said it will go to the people to "inform and educate" them about the 10 points highlighted by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha about the effects of demonetisation.

"We will go to the people standing in the bank and the ATMs queues to educate and inform them about the effects of demonetisation on economy," Delhi Congress unit chief Ajay Maken told reporters here.

"We will publish the pamphlets with all the ten points mentioned by Manmohan Singh and distribute them among the people," he added.

He said the party has also decided to organise the Jan Akrosh Diwas on November 28 keeping in view the hardships faced by the common and poor people across the country post demonetisation.

Maken’s remarks came hours after Manmohan Singh described in the Rajya Sabha the implementation of the demonetisation drive as "monumental mismanagement" and a case of "organised loot and legalised plunder". Singh also said that demonetisation will drag the country’s GDP by 2 percentage points.

Maken also supported the former Prime Minister’s views that the way in which demonetisation has been brought can weaken and erode the people’s confidence in the currency and the banking system.

"No one was witnessing it, but he pointed out clearly. Due to demonetisation the people of the country have started losing faith in the banking system and the currency."

The Congress leader’s remarks came over the government’s November 8 decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to curb "black money and corruption".

The demonetisation led to chaos across the country with people lining up outside banks and ATMs in interminably long queues.

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who earlier mocked at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram for the decline in the value of the rupee against the dollar, Maken said: "Today the value of rupee is at a record low."

"Earlier when the value of rupee fell against dollar, they used to mock that the value of rupee has matched the age of Chidambaram and soon it will match the age of Manmohan Singh."

"Now we want to ask Modi, will the value of rupee go to the age of (RSS chief Mohan) Bhagwat," Maken said.

Maken also accused the central government of suppressing the co-operatives banks, saying "The co-operatives which deal with the farmers and small traders have not been given enough cash, and even when any Chief Minister tries to meet the Prime Minister then they are not given appointments."

"Is this an example of co-operative federalism," the Congress leader asked.