Belagavi: Claiming that the process of demonetisation of high-value currency notes last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, led to the collapse of the country's economy, four different groups of Congress party workers launched protests in Belagavi on Wednesday. Terming November 8 when demonetisation was announced as Black Day on the first anniversary of DeMo, most of the protesters wore black attire and took out rallies.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India(Marxist) jointly organised their protest to mark the day with Left leaders walking to the Deputy Commissioner’s(DC) office where they addressed protestors. They submitted a memorandum to local authorities urging the union government to take remedial measures to streamline the economy.
Ms Lakshmi Hebbalkar, State Congress Women's Wing president, led the Congress rally from the party office on Club Road where the protestors held a rasta roko for a few minutes. Ms Hebbalkar said demonetisation had destroyed the livelihood of millions of working class families and the BJP had no moral right to celebrate Vijayotsava on demonetisation anniversary.
Mr K.V. Mohan, KPCC general secretary in charge of Belagavi district strongly condemned the way BJP leaders were protesting against Tipu Jayanti and said it had put people in a quandary. Raju Sait, president of the urban unit of the Congress and party workers wore black attire and walked past Rani Chennamma circle.
Groups of supporters of former minister Satish Jarkiholi, MLA and AICC secretary, Ms Lakshmi Hebbalkar, and Youth Congress leader Vinay Navalagatti took out separate rallies. They called demonetisation a ‘mindless move’ and said it had killed hundreds of poor people and taken away their life's savings.
