LDF, Congress slam PM Narendra Modi as people continue to throng banks, ATMs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With people continuing to queue up before banks and ATMs for new notes in Kerala, the ruling CPI-M-led LDF and Opposition Congress today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for causing "hardship" to the common man.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who left for New Delhi to apprise the Centre of the state's concern on the issue, said the sentiments and anxiety of residents in the post-demonetisation scenario would be conveyed to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

He said the decision had dealt "inexplicable hardship" to common man and wanted the Centre to extend till December 30 the use of old notes.

"The demonetisation of notes has caused inexplicable hardship to common people. Nothing has come to an order yet. No government should take such an indifferent stand," he told reporters at the airport here.

Also Read--Demonetisation: Old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes now illegal, live news reports and developments

"Since the construction sector has come to a standstill, there is no wages or jobs for them and their families are starving," Kerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac said.

"An anarchy-like situation is prevailing in the country due to the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes," he said while Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala compared Modi with erstwhile Mughal ruler Muhammad bin Tughlaq.

"Prime Minister Modi is the present day incarnation of emperor Tughlaq who pushed people to hardship through his wrong decisions," the senior Congress leader said.

Earlier, Vijayan had questioned the Centre's claim that demonetisation was to check black money, saying there were reports that black money lobbyists had got prior information about scrapping of the higher denomination notes.

He also alleged that "somebody" close to the Union government had received prior information about banning of the notes, and thus got the opportunity to take precautionary measures.

However, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, criticised Vijayan over the remark and demanded evidence from him in this regard.

Meanwhile, a 65-year-old woman was arrested and fake currency with a total face value of Rs 37,000 were allegedly seized from her when she came to deposit the high denomination notes at State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Malappuram district, police said today.

There was no end to the woes of the people as they continued to throng banks in the state.

At Thiruvanathapuram, 24-year-old Ancy Begum, who had given birth at a private hospital a week ago, was not discharged as her family was unable to clear the hospital bill of Rs 45,000 in new notes.