Hyderabad: TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of pushing the entire nation into chaos by demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in a hasty manner.
“Poor and middle class have literally been pushed to starvation. While daily wage workers were not hired by anyone during the last two days, the middle class population is not left with smaller denomination currency to meet their daily expenses,” Mr Reddy said, addressing a public meeting at Nereducherla in Palakidu mandal of Suryapet district.
Accusing the PM of acting like a dictator, he said, “Modi has created this crisis in everyone's life just to display his authority.”
He said that the Centre’s decision infringed upon citizens’ right to life and trade, among others.
“While the Congress supports any crackdown on black money, the Prime Minister's hasty move has only hit the poor, middle class, farmers, daily wage earners, small traders, students, the self-employed and housewives who are standing in lengthy queues in front of banks and post offices since the past two days,” Mr Reddy said.
He demanded limitation for exchange of old notes with new ones and withdrawal limits from ATMs be relaxed. “People have fallen victim to this ‘economic calamity’,” the TPCC chief said.
Mr Reddy also questioned the logic behind introduction of Rs 2,000 notes in helping prevent generation of black money. He feared the currency might be used to hide black money in future.
“The Prime Minister promised to put Rs 15 lakh in each account by bringing back the black money stashed in foreign country. What happened to that promise?” he asked.
Mr Reddy also demanded immediate release of water from Nagarjunasagar Left Canal for the Rabi season, clearance of entire crop loan dues at one go, release of fee reimbursement dues of nearly 14 lakh students, clearances of salaries of lecturers of junior colleges pending for the last six months and clearance of pending bills of Indiramma Housing projects.
