Marches on note ban anniversary

NEW DELHI: The national capital saw demonstrations and processions by workers Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to mark the first anniversary of the demonetisation on Wednesday.

Hundreds of workers of the ruling AAP assembled at Thyagaraj stadium to stage a protest against the decision.

Led by party’s Delhi convener and senior leader Gopal Rai, the protesters lashed out at Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre for the ‘anti people’ decision that wavered economy and led to over 150 deaths after the 86% currency in circulation on November 8 was scrapped. The party called the protest ‘Dhoka Day’

“The decision not only led to over 150 deaths, but it also impacted the economy so much so that thousands lost their jobs,” Rai said.

Similarly, scores of Delhi Congress workers observed it as a black by wearing black clothes and forming a human chain at Connaught Place.

Speaking at the protest, party’s Delhi unit president Ajay Maken said the Narendra Modi government’s faulty and hasty implementation of demonetisation had wrecked the Indian economy as never before.

“It was very sad to see the BJP celebrating the demonetisation while the truth is it caused death of nearly 150-odd people, including youth, women and children,” he said.

Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, AICC in-charge of Delhi PC Chacko, Janata Dal (united) leader Sharad Yadav, and several former Congress MLA, councillors of the city also participated in the protest.

Against the tide, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari criticised AAP and Congress for observing November 8 day as black day.

He said only those opposed demonetisation who had misused ‘power’ and amassed black money.

“The lower middle class and middle class, specially people living in villages, have supported the note ban, a movement against black money, by the Prime Minister, after which BJP’S support base has increased,” he said.

Tiwari was addressing the party workers during ‘antiblack money march’ organised to celebrate one year of the Centre’s decision to withdraw high denomination currency.

Scores of party workers marched starting from Raisina Road to central park, Connaught place.

The march was attended by vice president and state affairs incharge Shyam Jaju, Union minister Vijay Goel, and several others.