Opposition alleges leak, seeks JPC probe

​New Delhi: The winter session of the Rajya Sabha opened on Wednesday with a united Opposition mounting an assault on the government over demonetisation, saying it had led to “economic anarchy” in the country and alleged selective leak of the information before the announcement which should be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

The government rejected as baseless the Opposition charge that there was “leakage” of the November 8 decision and said everyone was taken by surprise which is why there are “initial” problems.

Joining ranks over the raging issue, parties such as the Congress, the JD(U), the RJD, the SP, the BSP, the Trinamool Congress, the Left parties and the AIADMK slammed the government, particularly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for making Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes invalid and said the “ill-timed” and “ill-conceived” step had severely hit the common people, the farmers and the poor.

Alleging that the information had been leaked to BJP units and “friends of BJP”, a number of Opposition parties demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into it.

During the course of seven-hour debate which remained inconclusive, there were repeated demands by the Opposition members that the Prime Minister should be present in the House to listen to the members.

Initiating the debate, Congress leader Anand Sharma used wit and humour to attack Modi, saying he was “insensitive” to problems caused to the common man.

“Your government is insensitive,” he said, adding Modi was riding a bullet train in Japan when the old, women and common man were queuing up at banks at 3 am to get currency to buy their daily needs. Sharma alleged that the information on demonetisation was selectively leaked.

“Your BJP units have deposited crores of rupees (just before the November 8 decision),” he said.

He quoted some media reports to support his allegation, saying State Bank of India — the country’s largest lender — knew of the decision way back in March and a Gujarati newspaper had in April 2016 published a report of move to withdraw Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

He demanded a probe into “how many people bought more than Rs 1 crore of foreign currency and bullion” since April. “This is a serious issue... you never kept secrecy (about the decision),” Sharma said.

Taking a dig at Modi, he said someone who “changes clothes five times a day”, has become Prime Minister and travels around the globe was “calling himself a sanyasi and tapasvi”.

The move had branded 86 per cent of the currency in circulation black money and “everyone a criminal,” he said. BSP leader Mayawati said the House should request the Prime Minister to be present and answer the members’ concerns.

Her demand was supported by Azad, who said the Prime Minister must be present in the House to hear out the concerns of various parties.

AIADMK leader A Navaneethakrishnan said the RBI and the government have failed the rural people with this move which has threatened the saving habit of people.

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who also sought a JPC probe into the suspected leak, said the sudden move was akin to “jumping out of a moving train”.

He alleged that while loans worth Rs 7,000 crore was written off on Wednesday by banks including Rs 1,200 crore of Vijay Mallya, the Prime Minister had made the honest of the country to stand in queues.

Modi Antoinette
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said that of the 130 crore population in the country, only 2.6 crore have credit cards. He took a dig at Modi and narrated the infamous quote of Queen Marie Antoinette during the French revolution who had said that people can eat cakes when they don’t have bread. “We have Modi Antoinette who says ‘If you don’t have paper, use plastic’”.

Alleging that a BJP unit in Kolkata deposited Rs. 1 crore in Indian’s Bank Account on November 8, 2016 he said “prove me if I am wrong.” He added that Prime Minister was advertising for Paytm while talking about cashless economy. “It is no longer Jai Hind. PM is appearing for advertisements Jio Hind.”

Govt fields Piyush Goyal
Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who spoke on behalf of the ruling side, rejected as baseless the opposition charge that there was “leakage” of the decision and said everyone was taken by surprise which is why there are “initial” problems.

“There is no politics in it. It is a step taken in national interest,” he said, adding it will help the country in the long run. “If anyone has the strength to take on black money and corruption, it is the BJP government and Narendra Modi,” the minister said.

He urged all the parties to support the move so that the House gives a message to the country that all are against corruption and black money.