Demonetisation: LDF, UDF flay Centre's decision to ink bank customers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and Opposition Congress-led UDF today hit out at the Modi government for its decision to use indelible ink to mark customers exchanging defunct currency notes, saying it will only create "panic" and cause "more confusion".

"The Centre is bringing more stringent regulations. What is needed today is to simplify the regulations," state Finance Minister Thomas Issac said in a Facebook post.

"New notes should be made available through banks and ATMs and the latest decision will create panic," he said.


Issac alleged that the Centre's latest decision will put the poor people and daily wage earners standing in the queue under the shadow of hoarders and black marketers.

Opposition leader in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the BJP government's decision to mark those queuing up before banks to exchange their old notes with indelible ink will only help in creating "more confusion".

"It's not ink, but more notes that are needed. People are running from pillar to post not having enough money even to meet their daily needs," Chennithala said in a statement here.

People have to wait in the queue for hours to exchange their notes, he said, adding that to paint all of them as black marketers was not right.

Meanwhile, activists of CPI and DYFI took out separate marches to the Reserve Bank of India office here protesting against demonetisation of high-value currencies, which they said was causing hardship to people.