Currency ban: Sena joins Mamata’s protest march; Opposition unity still a far cry

16 November, New Delhi

Taking the fight against the government’s demonetisation move to the next stage, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and leaders of three other parties, including the Shiv Sena, an NDA ally, today met President Pranab Mukherjee and demanded his intervention in the crisis, arriving out of the same.

Even as the Sena joining force with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is seen as a momentary setback for BJP, the government floor managers in Parliament felt there was a “visible division in the rank and file of the Opposition parties,” as AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal gave the march a slip

Moreover, the Left parties and the Congress stayed away from Ms Banerjee ‘s hyped protest march. It has actually flopped,” said one senior BJP leader and also made light of Sena protest, saying they were only raising concern about people’s affairs.

Though Kejriwal stayed away from the march, AAP MP from Punjab Bhagwant Mann was very much part of the delegation, led by the AITC supremo that staged a foot march from Parliament to Rashtrapati Bhawan. J&K-based National Conference backed the protest march and former state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also participated in it.

Emerging out of the meeting with President, the Trinamool chief clarified that her party and others were not against government’s actions against black money per se.”We are not against black money. We are not trying to to protect anyone. But we are protesting over the fact that the government brought a decision like a Tughlaqi orders without any planning and resulting in immense suffering of the common people,” Ms Banerjee told reporters outside Rashtrapati Bhawan.

She compared the situation to a “financial calamity and national crisis” and maintained that people’s sufferings due to cash crisis must be addressed. Mr Mann said, “It is regrettable that even kid’s savings have been virtually regarded as black money whereas business tycoons like Vijaya Mallya are abroad with Rs 9000 crore people’s money”. Ms Banerjee, who has earlier described currency ban moves as a “draconian move”, is now likely to address a traders gathering tomorrow (Thursday) at Azadpur mandi along with AAP leader Kejriwal, sources said.

Shiv Sena sources said they were not in favour of rollback of the government’s decision on demonetisation as has been underlined repeatedly by the Trinamool Congress leaders and their supremo Mamata Banerjee. Among others Trinamool MPs including Derek O’Brien, Sultan Ahmed, Saugata Roy and Sudip Bandyopadhyay also participated in the march up to the President.Sena clarified it is only against the manner people are suffering and standing in long serpentine queues across the country.

Sources said Shiv Sena did not sign the memorandum submitted to the President as the party is against the rollback demand of Trinamool.

“We have our own memorandum,” a party leader said.”The decision on demonetisation should have been implemented with proper preparations,” Sena MP in Lok Sabha Anandrao Adsul later said.

Ms Banerjee and other leaders who staged the protest march said while 20-30 people have already died mainly due to stress, adding that there would be soon shortage of vegetables and other items. The Trinamool chief demanded a probe into the rise of the banks’ non-performing assets (NPAs).

“In the last six months, nonperforming assets (of banks) have increased substantially, there should be a probe into this,” she said.”Now ATM means ‘Aayega toh milega’,” said Ms Banerjee taking potshots at Primer Minister Narendra Modi for his decisions.She hoped the President will take appropriate steps.

“We told the President that you are the custodian of the Constitution, you talk to the government so that normalcy is restored,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said, adding that the President gave the delegation a patient hearing.

“Pranab Mukherjee was also country’s Finance Minister, no one can understand the situation better than him. So we hope he will take appropriate action,” Ms Banerjee remarked.