Demonetisation info was leaked to BJP strongholds: Congress

MATHURA: Leader of Uttar Pradesh Congress's Legislator Party Pradeep Mathur today claimed that the decision to demonetise high-value currency notes was leaked to BJP strongholds much before its announcement by the Prime Minister on November 8.

"The lavish marriage that was recently solemnised in Bengaluru at the residence of a BJP big gun and former minister ( G Janardhana Reddy) cost around Rs 500 crore. This is proof that information (on demonetisation) was leaked," he told reporters here.

Mathur said that while the former minister spent crores of rupees on the marriage, the common man was hankering to gather 2.5 lakh for a marriage in his family.

Demanding a probe by a justice of the Supreme Court into the demonetisation process and leak of information related to it, he said, "The new notes were printed in the last six months, then how do they have RBI Governor Urjit Patel's signature. He was not holding office then. It shows information was leaked to selected persons."

Calling the decision to demonetise notes a "Tuglaqi Farman", Mathur said, "It was introduced without adequate preparation and everybody, especially farmers, were facing difficulties in coping with the situation."

"It will have an adverse impact on Rabi crops because farmers are not being able to purchase seeds and fertilisers. It has jeopardised the entire system," he claimed.