Live: Either I’ll Die or Remove Modi From Politics, Pledges Mamata
The opposition is holding protests against the poor implementation of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.
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Modi Has Brought the Country to a Standstill: Congress
Mounting an organised attack on the government, the Congress on Monday afternoon asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has brought entire country to a standstill with a single disastrous decision”.
“PM Modi has battered India’s economy and it will be difficult to regain India’s growth story,” Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference.
Kejriwal Dubs Demonetisation a ‘Flop’
The government’s demonetisation scheme has been a “flop”, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a press conference.
He said Modi's ego has put the entire nation into misery and pushed back the country's economy by a decade in just 20 days.
He added that black money economy has galloped since the note ban was announced and the new currency was being used for corruption.
Arun Jaitley Introduces Bill to Amend Income Tax Rules
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the Income Tax rules levying a tax of 60 percent on undisclosed income or investment or cash credit deposited in the banks.
According to the Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016, the declarant will additionally have to pay regular tax on the amount left after deducting the 60 percent levy.
The government has also come up with an income disclosure scheme called the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) 2016 which allows people to deposit money in their accounts till 1 April 2017, by paying 50 percent of the total amount –30 per cent as tax, 10 per cent as penalty and 33 per cent of the taxed amount – that is 10 per cent – as Garib Kalyan Cess.
Additionally, under this scheme, 25 percent of the amount has to be locked up for four years in interest-free Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme.
Both Houses Adjourned Amid Uproar Over Demonetisation
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moves amendment in taxation Law in Lok Sabha.
Amid uproar over the government’s note ban policy, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned.
‘Jan Aakrosh Diwas’ in Odisha, West Bengal
As part of the nation-wide protest against fiscal chaos post-demonetisation, the opposition parties in Odisha on Monday took to streets, while the state ordered a shutdown of educational institutions.
The protests did not affect normal life at large as many opposition parties, including the Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), and Communsit Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML), staged their protests at various banks in the state.
The Congress workers organised ‘Jana Akrosh’ (people's outcry) rallies across the state and held demonstrations at district and block headquarters.
As part of the diwas, the Congress' West Bengal unit brought out a protest rally in Kolkata on Monday.
Congress supporters from the metropolis and the districts led by their state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, walked from the Bengal Pradesh Congress head office Bidhan Bhavan to Park Circus in central Kolkata, raising slogans against the Narendra Modi government
The ruling BJD has welcomed the demonetisation move and did not participate in the protests.
The closing down of educational institutions irked the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused the state government of supporting the protest.
Central Govt Forms Sub-Committee With CMs
The Central government will be forming a sub-committee of chief ministers to deal with problems regarding demonetisation.
PM Decided Like a God Without Consultation: Mamata
Speaking to mediapersons CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury accused PM Modi of avoiding the parliament in thick of problems that have risen from an unplanned implementation of demonetising Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also participated in the protest march against demonetisation in her state. She slammed PM Modi for taking the move individually without any consultation. She also said that the government’s claims of a “cashless” economy are, in fact, “baseless”.
Maharashtra too saw a huge protest rally led by the Congress.
Lok Sabha Adjourned Yet Again
Lok Sabha assembly was louder than usual on Monday with the BJP and opposition parties verbally clashing with each other over the protest against demonetization. The opposition continually demanded that the Prime Minister address the issue in the house.
BJD took a rather neutral stance while accepting that demonetization has added to people’s sufferings.
Rajnath addressed the roars of the opposition and said:
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm as parties continued to create a ruckus.
CPM and CPI parties held a protest rally in West Bengal. Left Front chairman Biman Bose said, “We are not demanding like TMC to keep the black money; We're demanding to relieve miseries of common people.”
Opposition Parties Hold Protest Outside Parliament
DMK, CPM, RJD and Congress leaders staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Parliament, on Monday.
Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Raut said:
Slamming the opposition parties’ protest, BJP leader Mukhtar abbas Naqvi said:
Stalin and Other DMK Leaders Taken into Custody; Mufti Says Currency Ban Will be Historic
MK Stalin and DMK workers taken into preventive custody by Police in Chennai for holding protests against the government’s decision of demonetisation.
Congress workers of Jammu and Kashmir were arrested at their protests. Supporting the currency ban, CM Mehbooba Mufti said:
12-Hour Bandh Cripples Tripura
Life crippled in Left ruled Tripura on Monday as a Left Front sponsored 12-hour shutdown observed in the northeastern state to protest against demonetisation of higher currency notes by the BJP led central government.
The dawn-to-dusk strike was called by the Communist Party of India-Marxist led Left Front as part of the Left parties' all India agitation against the demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes.
Government and semi-government, private offices, banks, educational institutions, shops and business establishments were remained closed due to the strike.
All types of vehicles, except security forces, remained off the roads.
MoS, Jitendra Singh said the opposition parties protest is against Indian citizens.
“Let the PM come and talk to us inside the house”, Congress VP, Rahul Gandhi said on PM Modi’s remark againt the opposition.
Opposition parties ended their meeting on demonetisation and demanded an apology from PM Modi for his remarks about the opposition.
Taking a jibe at the opposition, PM Modi had asked in a UP rally whether it was preferable for the opposition to end corruption or shut down a country.
BJP Counters Opposition’s Move
The BJP is holding a ‘Jan Abhaar Divas’ in Maharashtra and offering sweets and flowers to people who are working to counter the Congress party’s ‘Jan Akrosh Diwas’ rally against demonetisation.
Congress workers in Patna took out a Jan Akrosh Divas rally against demonetisation.
Opposition parties are holding a meeting before the Parliament session to discuss demonetisation.
Samajwadi Party MP, Naresh Agarwal said:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet senior ministers at Parliament at 10:30 am.
DMK Protest Against Demonetisation
All markets in Kerala are closed due to the strike that is being supported by the LDF.
DMK workers are holding protests against demonetisation in Tamil Nadu.
West Bengal Functioning Normally
The state-wide 12-hour strike called by the Left Parties to protest the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes began in West Bengal today, with normal life visibly unaffected in the first few hours.
Government buses and other private vehicles were seen plying on the road.
"So far, there has been no major incident, except a few small ones in the districts," a senior police official said.
Left Front Supporters Halt Several Trains
Supporters and workers of the Left parties, including the CPI, CPI-M, CPI(ML), and other parties stopped over a dozen long route trains at Patna, Gaya, Jehanabad, Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur railway stations.
"Several trains were halted to enforce the shutdown," a police officer said. Roads were also blocked at various places across the state.
However, ruling parties of the grand alliance in Bihar – the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress – have decided not to join the shutdown, but to stage protest marches against demonetisation.
Vowing to foil the Left’s 12-hour strike in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered all government employees to attend office on Monday.
Kerala at a Standstill
The ruling Left Democratic Front has backed the Bharat Bandh call while exempting state-run buses, tourism-related activities, marriage parties and Sabarimala pilgrims.
However, state-run buses are staying off the road, The Indian Express reported. Very few vehicles can be seen in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
CPI(ML) workers stopped trains in Darbhanga and Jehanabad in Bihar.
The Congress has called for observing a ‘Jan Akrosh Divas’ on Monday, which will see participation by other opposition parties, to protest the poor implementation of the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.
Twenty days after its implementation, Indians are still facing a cash crunch, with an acute shortage of Rs 500 notes in the market.
Going against its initial decision of allowing over-the-counter exchange of the old notes till 30 December, the government put an end to the facility on 24 November.
Here’s what we know about the Left’s Bharat Bandh so far:
- While the Left Front is geared up for the 12-hour bandh, most parties, including the TMC, the Congress and AAP, said they don’t want a strike but will hold protests across the country.
- Mamata Bannerjee, who has been spearheading protests against demonetisation said she won’t protest as it will add to the inconvenience of people. According to FICCI, the protests can cost India Rs 13,000 crore a day.
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar too has refused to join the protests, saying that demonetisation will help fight corruption and black money.
- A few other parties, including the Telangana Rashtra Samithihas and the Karnataka Congress, have also backed out of the protests.
- Taking a jibe at the opposition, PM Modi asked in a UP rally whether it was preferable to end corruption or shut down a country.
- Accusing the BJP of spreading misinformation, the Congress on Sunday said it has not called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ or a countrywide shutdown on Monday but a ‘Jan Akrosh Diwas’ to hold protests against demonetisation.
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Published: 28 Nov 2016,08:46 AM IST