'Whimsical & Tughlaqi': Mamata Banerjee on withdrawal of ₹2000 notes

Kolkata: A day after the decision to withdraw ₹2000 notes was taken, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the move as "whimsical".

“Another whimsical & Tughlaqi demonetisation drama of ₹2000 notes will hit the common people hard once again by subjecting them to massive harassment. These imperious measures are meant to camouflage the fundamentally anti-people & crony capitalist nature of this regime. Such misadventures by an oligarchic & authoritarian government will not be forgotten by the people at large at the time of reckoning,” mentioned Mamata on Twitter.

Congress says ₹2000 notes only for rich people

State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that demonetisation of 2016 was a curse for the economy.

“₹2000 notes are for the rich people. For the poor they cannot afford a note of ₹2000. The eccentricity of the Narendra Modi government has done demonetization earlier now they are withdrawing ₹2000 notes,” mentioned the Congress state president.

BJP defends RBI's decision

However, BJP MLA and economist Ashok Lahiri added that every paper currency has a lifespan.

“When ₹1000 and ₹500 (old note) was demonetized in 2016 it was a separate situation. Some are shouting that the same thing would happen again. But that is not true. Big denomination notes like ₹2000 are normally kept with those having black or unaccounted money as space requirement will be less if it is kept in ₹2000 denomination,” said the BJP MLA.