Mamata to meet president today even as left plans own line of action

KOLKATA: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday to meet President Pranab Mukherjee to register her protest against the Modi government’s sudden withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Banerjee called up CPM leaders for making it a joint Opposition protest but they chose not to join a Trinamool-led protest. Banerjee also rang up Congress leaders, for the first time since it joined hands with CPM in the 2016 assembly elections. “This is a joint movement on behalf of the people. We will not allow CPM to play dirty politics over this demonetisation,” said TMC’s national spokesperson Derek O’Brien.

O’Brien and Sudip Banerjee, attended the meeting of Opposition parties in New Delhi on Monday evening.

Banerjee has cancelled her scheduled programmes to gear up for the fight. She will reach Delhi on Tuesday morning for a two-day visit.

Her itinerary includes meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee and leaders of other parties.

“The Prime Minister in his speech had said the poor are sleeping peacefully. This is an insult to commoners and in bad taste. My humble suggestion is not to hit the common people like this,” Banerjee said in a statement.

“While common people have been victimised and crushed under weight of demonetisation, many economists now predicting onset of recession. This will be a killer for the common people. Already a staggeringRs 1.5 lakh crore has been lost to the economy in six days,” she added.