TMC terms as 'bizarre' RBI claim that disclosing information about withdrawal of Rs 2,000 notes will adversely impact foreign relations

Shubhadeep Choudhury

New Delhi, June 20

Trinamool Congress national spokesperson Saket Gokhale has described as “bizarre” the RBI’s refusal to him to disclose information about withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes saying it would adversely impact India’s foreign relations among other things.

“I’d filed an RTI with the Reserve Bank of India asking for details and files pertaining to the decision to withdraw Rs 2000 notes from circulation. Shockingly, RBI said it can’t provide the info because it will ‘affect foreign relations with other states’. What does withdrawal of Rs 2000 notes have to do with India’s foreign affairs? What exactly prompted this sly, sudden, & mysterious demonetization exercise?” Gokhale said in a tweet on Tuesday.

A copy of the reply given to him by the central bank showed that Gokhale on May 20 asked the RBI for furnishing all files, memos, correspondence, file notings related to the RBI’s “decision/notification issued on 19/05/2023 regarding withdrawing Rs 2000 currency notes from circulation”.

In response, RBI CPIO Suman Roy said the information sought is “exempted from disclosure under section 8(1)(a) of RTI Act, 2005, as sharing of the information may adversely affect the security, strategic and economic interest of the state, relations with foreign states”.