KOZHIKODE: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Sunday alleged that the demonetization drive had failed to hit the target and that it resulted in endless chaos to the public. He said farmers were struggling to sell their produces and pay the wages to labourers while fishers to find it difficult get buyers as they have run out of cash. "The agricultural sector has come to a standstill," he told reporters here. "It is a lightning strike by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi on the people. It is now evident that the target was not the black money. Many people close to Modi and BJP had received information in advance to invest the money the stacked.”
He also demanded a judicial investigation into the cash transactions of BJP in the last five months before the demonetization. Asked why his party was hesitant to react, he said the CPM politburo to be held on November 15 would decide its strategy. On the extortion cases against DYFI leader Zakir Hussein, the CPM leader said the party's stand on the issue was clear. "We will not protect any leader who engages in criminal activities. But when police said there were 14 cases against him, the majority of them were in connection with the agitations during the UDF regime. Many of our party leaders also were part of the agitation,” he added.
