Opposition seeks apology as Modi criticises opponents

‘War on black money, corruption’

NEW DELHI: Hitting out at the opposition that has been scathing in its criticism of the demonetisation move, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday those opposing the scrapping of high-value banknotes were upset as they were caught unaware.

On the other hand, the united opposition sought an apology from Modi for calling them "supporters of blackmoney, and forced two adjournments of proceedings in the parliament on Friday, according to the foreign media.

Congress, BSP and TMC members rushed into the Well of the House shouting slogans demanding an apology from the India PM for his remarks, while the ruling benches matched them with slogans praising of Modi, creating a pandemonium forcing Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the proceedings.

Ghulam Nabi Azad said when it was made very clear by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and others during debate on demonetisation that the opposition was against blackmoney, how can Modi make such allegations.

Mayawati said Modi had stated that if opposition was given 72 hours before demonetising high denomination currency, they should not have opposed him and instead praised him.

Painting the entire opposition as those blackmoney is a lie, she said, adding that the Indian PM has to apologise for his remarks.

Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said Modi has levelled a serious allegation and should apologise. Ramgopal Yadav (SP) said there could not be anything more shameful than Modi alleging that the entire opposition was a supporter of blackmoney.

It came as a surprise to many when Rashtirya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav made a reference to Uncle Podger’s character in English writer Jerome K Jerome’s ‘Three Men in a Boat’ while talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to Yadav, the PM reminds him of Uncle Podger who takes on more responsibility than he can deliver and ends up creating a mess.

The Shiv Sena sprung a major surprise on Narendra Modi, echoing suggestions for a referendum on demonetisation like the one held in the United Kingdom on Brexit. "Will the PM resign if the referendum outcome goes against him?" party chief Uddhav Thackeray said at a press conference, on the sidelines of a party function at Sena Bhavan.

Meanwhile, thousands of peasants and agricultural workers from across the country assembled in Delhi for the Kisan Sangharsh Rally and marched on the Parliament against anti-farmer policies of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. The farmers defied the crisis created by the demonetisation decision and came all the way from the farthest corners of India from Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the South to Jammu & Kashmir in the North, Assam, Tripura and Manipur in the North East to Gujarat in the West.

Also, complaining that their business has declined by 75 per cent across the nation due to an acute cash crunch post demonetisation, hawkers burnt Narendra Modi in effigy. Hundreds participated in the rally brought out by the ‘Hawker Sangram Committee’, the West Bengal wing of National Hawkers Federation, from Subodh Mullick Square in central Kolkata to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation headquarters.

Meanwhile, the Aam Adami Party (AAP) in India announced launching nationwide protests on Nov 28 against the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes. In December, party convener and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will lead the protests in six cities, including three in the poll-bound state of UP.