Another whimsical, Tughlaqi demonetisation drama: Mamata Banerjee after RBI announces withdrawal of Rs 2,000 notes

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday slammed the BJP-led central government over the Reserve Bank of India's decision to withdraw Rs 2,000 currency notes from circulation, describing it as "another whimsical and Tughlaqi demonetisation drama". She also said the move by the apex bank would "hit common people hard once again".

Banerjee lambasted the Centre for the decision, alleging that such "imperious measures" are meant to "camouflage the fundamentally anti-people and crony capitalist nature of this regime".

Taking to Twitter the TMC supremo said, "Another whimsical and Tughlaqi demonetisation drama of Rs 2,000 notes will hit the common people hard once again by subjecting them to massive harassment. These imperious measures are meant to camouflage the fundamentally anti-people & crony capitalist nature of this regime."


"Such misadventure by an oligarchic & authoritarian government will not be forgotten by the people at large at the time of reckoning," she said.

Unlike the November 2016 shock demonetisation when old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were invalidated overnight, the Rs 2,000 notes will continue to be legal tender till September 30, the RBI said on Friday.

Banerjee had opposed the Centre's decision of demonetisation in 2016.