THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader A. K. Antony alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has committed an unpardonable crime. He also added that the PM led the country to doom. Mr Antony demanded alternative steps against demonetisation and restoration of the limit on ration quota while inaugurating the UDF MLAs and MPs dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday. Much to the surprise of the UDF leaders, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also turned up at the venue.
This is the first time the Congress under the aegis of UDF leadership flocked to the national capital to hold a dharna against the demonetisation. Mr Antony alleged that the country as a whole is moving towards a national disaster due to the foolish decision taken by the PM. He said Mr Modi does not deserve forgiveness as it has given a chance to blackmoney holders to convert it in to white.
“Modi government is trying to strangulate the co-operative and agricultural sectors in the state. As the days pass by, it is evident Mr Modi has committed a folly. It is the corporate sector that has benefited from demonetisation,” Mr Antony said while proclaiming that the state has created history by staging a protest. He also informed that all the 17 states where the Congress is in the Opposition, will join their hands together in their fight against Mr Modi’s demonetisation.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala who led the dharna said if Mr Modi had robbed the people of their money, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had pushed the people to starvation. “The state is heading toward a financial disaster as the NRK’s feel that their money in co-operative banks is not safe. '1.25 lakh crore has been remitted in the co-operative sector where the people are unable to withdraw their money. Also the remittances from the Middle East has also come to a standstill,” said Mr Chennithala.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran were conspicuous by their absence. While sources close to Mr Chandy told DC that he had prior meetings in Palakkad which he had already committed, Mr Sudheeran has been indisposed with chest infection. Though the Congress leaders allege that Mr Chandy had purposefully stayed away from dharna in protest against AICC leadership sidelining his camp in the selection of DCC presidents, his office denied it.
