Why punish poor for crimes of the rich, Congress attacks govt on note ban

New Delhi: Opening the debate in Rajya Sabha on the first day of Winter Session, the Congress on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Modi-led NDA government over its move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, accusing the Prime Minister of punishing the poor for the crimes of the rich.

"The Prime Minister has criminalised the common man of India who has been lining up outside banks for the past 5-6 days," Congress leader Anand Sharma said.

He slammed the government over the implementation of the move, which he said is affecting the poor, not rich people.

"If you were fully prepared for the move, then why was there no cash in banks? They later said it would take time for ATMs to be recalibrated. Black money is stashed by the rich, why are the poor being punished for their crimes. Do farmers have credit cards? Which economy works without cash?” Sharma said.

He even questioned the limit imposed by the government on the withdrawal of cash from banks and ATMs. “Which law has given you the right to impose limit on the withdrawal of cash from our own accounts,” he asked the Centre at Rajya Sabha.

He even sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his statement in Goa, “mocking the people who are standing in queues.”

Sharma claimed that the government has a list of those holding black money in Swiss Banks and demanded that Modi reveal their names.

After Sharma attacked the central government, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad requested the government to ask Modi to attend the Rajya Sabha session and listen to what the Opposition parties had to say on various issues.