Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday slammed the opposition for obstructing parliament’s functioning over demonestisation and asked Bharatiya Janata MPs to encourage people to embrace a digital and cashless economy.
Speaking at a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting here, Modi also thanked people for their support for the November 8 demonetisation of Rs500 and Rs1,000 currency notes.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said Modi wanted a public awareness campaign, similar to one on the use of electronic voting machines in elections, to be put into effect to encourage people to go cashless.
“The opposition is not allowing parliament to function. I went to the Rajya Sabha but they shouted slogans. Despite this, I sat there. We are ready to discuss but they are reluctant. You go to your areas, talk to the people and expose the opposition,” a BJP leader present at the meeting quoted Modi as saying.
According to sources, Modi said: People’s power is with us and it is above political power.”
The sources quoted Modi as saying that the people are helping one another after demonetisation just like they would during natural calamities.
Ananth Kumar said the government has made it clear on several occasions that the prime minister would speak on demonetisation in both houses of parliament but the opposition was creating a ruckus due to their political agenda.
He said the Congress and the Trinamool Congress members were stalling the proceedings even though the government was willing to hold discussion.
The minister said the BJP Parliamentary Party passed a resolution to hail public support for the demonetisation, which has led to a cash crunch across the country.
Earlier, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley dared the opposition to begin the debate over the demonetisation.
“The opposition disrupts proceedings for one reason or the other. I challenge them to begin the debate if they have courage,” Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha.
The minister also accused the opposition of raising the issue for publicity.
Meanwhile, there was no respite for the cash-strapped people yesterday, exactly a moth after Modi announced to decision to withdraw the high denomination notes from circulation.
During a visit to Axis Bank in Sector 16 in Noida, adjoining Delhi, 30-40 customers could be seen arguing with the guard for not letting them know that the bank had run out of cash and requesting him to let them in.
“The bank ran out of cash at 10.30am. I have been telling people to return, but they won’t listen,” the guard said.
At the same time, customers complained they were never informed clearly whether there was any cash left.
“Are we fools for standing here for hours, only to hear that there’s no money left,” an angry young woman shouted at the guard.
The desperation for cash was palpable.
Marmik, a young employee of HCL Technologies, said he was standing in the queue since 6.30am but was had not got cash even at 2pm. He said he had arrived at the bank straight after doing his night shift.
“There were 40-odd people queued outside the bank in the morning, when there were still three hours to its opening time. By the time my turn came around 1pm the bank officials announced they were out of cash. My shift starts at 5:30pm and I’m now not only cashless, but sleepless too,” said Marmik.
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said his government would give Rs200,000 to the relatives of residents of the state who have died standing in in queues outside banks and ATMs.
A state government spokesman said the chief minister also expressed his anguish over people being made to stand in long queues outside banks and ATMs to withdraw their own hard-earned money.
lTo enable feature phone users to go cashless, Paytm yesterday launched a service with which consumers and merchants can pay and receive money without an Internet connection.
“Paytm has announced a toll-free number 180018001234 to enable consumers and merchants without an Internet connection to pay and receive money instantly and also recharge their mobile phones,” the mobile wallet company said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is accompanied by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi as he comes out after a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting yesterday.
