Rahul Gandhi demands JPC probe into demonetisation scam

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 23

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, leading the protest against demonetisation in Parliament, on Wednesday said the party wanted a joint parliamentary committee probe into the “scam” involving prior leakage of the decision to a select few in the BJP.

Insisting on opposition unity moments after 12 parties joined hands to lead a protest against the move in Parliament House, the Amethi MP said all leaders also wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to Parliament, listen to them and tell the nation why he took a decision that “hit the people and economy”.

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After the joint opposition protest, Rahul described demonetisation of high-denomination currency as the biggest impromptu financial experiment in the world saying the decision had hit the Indian economy. He also alleged that the Finance Minister or the Chief Economic Adviser did not know of the move, adding that the BJP organisations in Bengal and other places knew of that which explained why bank deposits surged on the eve of the announcement on November 8.

Asked how the BJP organisations could have known of the move when the FM did not, Gandhi said, “BJP organisations knew so did a few industrialist friends of the PM.”

Earlier, the Gandhi scion took swipes at the PM for addressing a pop concert and “naach gaana” saying, “The PM can give lectures to a pop concert where naach gaana is going on. Over 200 MPs are saying they want to tell the nation why he took this decision. The PM does not want to come to Parliament. Why is the PM afraid of going inside Parliament? He is obviously anxious about something.”

Gandhi said there was no division in the opposition camp about demands around demonetization, adding, “First of all we want the PM, who represents the country, to come to Parliament. He should sit in the debate. He will have to listen to us, will have to sit there. Second, we see a scam behind this move. The PM and the BJP president told their own people of the scam. We need a JPC to probe that. You see cent per cent united opposition standing here. Over 200 MPs are here. We are united. The PM should tell us why he has taken this decision.”

Gandhi said all opposition parties were fighting against black money but the question is why one decision should harass one billion people.

“It’s a question of complete centralisation of power. The country cannot be run in this manner. You have hit the economy. The economy was working well, though not as well as in the UPA time. Bengal and Kerala fishermen industry has been finished, small traders have been hit. Have you seen anyone in suit-boot in the queues?” Gandhi said accusing the PM of unilaterally taking the demonetization decision.

Asked who is leading the protest from the opposition side considering BSP chief Mayawati and SP chief Muyalam Singh were not personally part of the opposition protest on Wednesday though their MPs came, Rahul said poor people’s voice is leading this protest and MPs are representing that voice.

He said it was shameful that 70 people had died following the move and Parliament had not made any obituary reference to them.

The Congress remained adamant on its demand for an adjournment motion debate on the issue in Lok Sabha with Rahul saying, “The PM is afraid of allowing an adjournment motion.”

The government says it is ready to debate demonetisation under Rule 193 which does not entail voting unlike an adjournment notice under Rule 56 of the LS procedures.