Mamata Banerjee not to hold rallies immediately outside Bengal against demonetization

KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who held rallies in Delhi, Lucknow and Patna during last week of November opposing demonetization, is unlikely to go for such rallies outside Bengal immediately. Sources in Trinamool Congress said that the chief minister had earlier decided to hold rallies across the country to mobilize public opinion against demonetization. " But she is unlikely to go for such rallies outside the state immediately because of Christmas and New Year. She may consider proposals for going other states to oppose demonetization after second week of January," a senior Trinamool Congress leader told ET on Monday.

Party insiders, however, said that the chief minister was keeping close watch on the day-to-day development across the country and sufferings of people reportedly due to demonetization. "People across the country will be busy for Christmas and New Year celebrations and Didi does not want to go for any movement during the festive session and will go for it probably from second week of January," the senior party leader said.

Meanwhile, the chief minister has asked her leaders to intensify political agitation in Bengal against Narendra Modi's government which announced demonetization on November 8. Trinamool Congress secretary general and Bengal's education minister Partha Chatterjee said " Trinamool Congress workers and supporters will hit the street on December 14, 15 and 16 protesting against the demonetization of notes that led to nothing apart from harassment of common people. People will hit the streets to demand withdrawal of the Centre’s hasty and arbitrary decision of demonetizing Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.”

He urged people to join the rally to build up protest against the loss of crores of rupees due to announcement of demonetization without any proper planning. There will be protest marches in the nooks and corners of the state.