Live: PM Has Time for Coldplay Concert Not Rajya Sabha, Says Cong
After a day of ruckus in the Parliament, the third day of the winter session will begin in on Friday.
- Banks stay open on Saturday but transactions allowed only to senior citizens
- Mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress to start ‘Money ki Baat’ from 20 November
- The BJP has demanded apology from Ghulam Nabi Azad for comparing demonetisation with the Uri attack
- Amidst uproar over the demonetisation move, third day of the winter session began in the Parliament on Friday
- Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned till Monday as the ruckus continued.
Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala slammed PM Modi for finding the time to address the Coldplay concert which is being held in Mumbai but avoiding debates and questions at the Rajya Sabha on the several problems of demonetisation.
RBI Officials Face Ire of Didi
Carrying forward her protest against demonetisation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday marched to the Reserve Bank of India office on Saturday and summoned the bank's officials on the street and sought answers to her volley of questions about the currency situation in the state.
“I have the right to seek information about my state. In fact I would have liked to get information about the entire country. But you people only look after this region”, Banerjee said.
Trade Union leaders have submitted memorandums to the Finance Minister, telling him about daily wage laborers in the unorganised sectors who are facing terrible hardships and a cash crunch has held the country as ransom.
Elderly Woman Dies at Bank Queue
An elderly woman passed away due to suffocation after standing in a queue at bank.
Mamata Banerjee who went to Burrabazar on Saturday to speak with the common people said:
“Show Expenditure of 2014,” Thackeray Tells Modi
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi warning him that if demonetisation failed, the country will be pushed into anarchy.
Denouncing the new decisions announced daily on money withdrawals or deposits in banks, he claimed it is evident now such a major policy was rushed through without making a proper study or adequate groundwork on the implications.
"I have spoken to people in the BJP, I have discussed it with RSS people, nobody is happy, but they are all keeping quiet.. Mohan Bhagwat has not yet reacted on it... I wonder what's really going on," Thackeray wondered, addressing a meeting of party leaders and workers.
After ten days of demonetisation of high value notes, many banks have now started witnessing shorter queues following some restrictions on exchange of defunct bills, but many still had to brave waiting in frustration at ATMs due to cash scarcity.
All banks on Saturday will serve only their respective customers and will not exchange the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from customers of other banks.
However, this restriction is not applicable on senior citizens as they are allowed to visit any bank branches to exchange old defunct currency notes.
To screen repeat customers, banks at many places are applying indelible ink mark on fingers of people who are exchanging notes.
Govt Fails to Recalibrate Enough ATMs in Time
By Friday, only 27,000 ATMs have been recalibrated, CNN-News18 reported, which accounts for only 13 percent out of the total. The government had set a target of resetting 36,000 more ATMs by the end of Friday, hinting that the weekend might be slightly better for the citizens. The government also announced that its target of recalibrating 1 lakh more ATMs by the end of next week.
However, on the other hand, Arundhati Bhattacharya, SBI Head, confirmed that even though banks will remain open for regular banking activities, they will not exchange old currencies on Saturday. Only senior citizens will be allowed to exchange their notes.
Demonetisation Can Result in Riots: SC to Govt
On Friday, the Supreme Court slammed the government’s decision to implement demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, calling it a "serious issue" that could lead to riots.
The Centre moved the apex court seeking a stay on the hearings of the petitions against the demonetisation issue in all courts except the SC, arguing that it will create a lot of confusion.
"It is a serious issue which requires consideration," a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice AR Dave said on the note ban issue, while asking the parties to be ready with data and other issues in writing.
“Govt Didn’t Do Their Homework”, Says Shatrughan Sinha
Shatrughan Sinha, who is a member of BJP lauded the government for their move against black money while maintaining that the party “didn’t do their homework”.
Social activist, Anna Hazare also commented on the issue of demonetisation on Friday and said:
BJP Cabinet Minister Caught Hoarding Illegal Cash
A senior BJP cabinet minister in Maharashtra Subhash Deshmukh, on Friday admitted to hoarding Rs 91,50,000 in demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.
Govt Cautions Jan Dhan Account Holders Against Misuse
Government cautioned Jan Dhan account holders, housewives and artisans that they will be prosecuted under the I-T Act for allowing misuse of their bank accounts through deposit of black money in Rs 500/1,000 notes during the 50-day window till 30 December.
The directive comes against the backdrop of reports that some are using other persons' bank accounts to convert their black money into new denomination notes.
People Are Using Other People's Accounts to Deposit Their Black Money
The Finance Minister on Friday said that there were reports that some people have been using other person's account to deposit their black money.
Earlier it was mentioned that small deposits made by artisans, workers and housewives would not be questioned but some people are evading tax by taking advantage of the exception, the Finance Minister added.
He also said that genuine people will still not be questioned.
The Nation Wants to Know: Venkaiah Naidu
"The government is ready for a discussion. We don't know what has happened with the Congress. Suddenly, they took a U-turn," said Venkaiah Naidu.
"The Opposition has disappointed us and the country," he said. "I want the Congress to clarify on Azad's remark," he said.
"The nation wants to know today," he added.
SC Says No to Stay on Demonetisation Challenge in Lower Courts
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay, for now, the petitions against demonetisation pending before different High Courts and subordinate courts.
"It indicates the magnitude of the problem is serious. People are going to the High Courts for relief. This is a serious issue. Let them go," said a bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice Anil R Dave as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi urged the apex court to stay all such proceeding in High Courts and subordinate courts.
Adjourning the matter for 25 November, the court asked the Attorney General to move transfer petitions, which the court will consider.
The Centre had on 8 November demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to what it said was curb black money and corruption.
And Now, Congress’ ‘Money Ki Baat’
Mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ amid the heated political discourse over the Centre's demonetisation of high-value currency notes, the Congress will now organise ‘Money ki Baat’ with the citizens starting 20 November.
The city unit of the party, headed by Sanjay Nirupam, will embark on a mass awareness campaign on the “hardships” of the common man in the wake of the withdrawal of Rs 1,000 and old Rs 500 currency notes from circulation last week.
Addressing a press conference, Nirupam claimed that the demonetisation move had “failed to curb black money and counterfeit currency”.
Akhilesh Yadav Up in Arms Against Government
Criticising the government for making lives of farmers difficult, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said, “Farmers are in crisis, this is not a natural disaster but one created by the Central government.”
Kerala MPs Meet Jaitley Over Demonetisation
All MPs from Kerala met Finance minister Arun Jaitley seeking PACs' exemption from cash withdrawal limit.
Earlier in the day, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet colleagues staged a protest in front of RBI condemning the currency ban move.
BJP Demands Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Apology
The Bharatiya Janata Party issued a three line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House. It also demanded an apology from the Congress, especially Ghulam Nabi Azad for comparing demonetisation with the Uri attack in the session on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly met senior ministers in his chamber in the Parliament. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar were present for the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court decided to hear a plea filed by a Delhi-based lawyer seeking the apex court's intervention on the issue of demonetisation.
EC Asks Finance Ministry to Not Issue Indelible Ink
The Election Commission on Friday wrote to the Finance Ministry asking them not to use indelible ink at cash counters in banks.
The commission raised concerns about the fact that several states in the country are going to polls and the ink is used to mark citizens who have already voted.
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