New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday continued his attack on prime minister Narendra Modi over demonetization while also accusing him of practicing politics of "fear and anger".
Rahul stepped up his campaign on demonetization seeking a white paper on the issue and placing a charter of demands including lifting of all restrictions on cash withdrawal and compensation to farmers, traders and the poor who have "suffered" due to the note ban.
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Addressing a press conference, he also demanded that Modi double the MNREGA wages and the number of days each laborer can work, besides giving 50 percent rebate in income tax and sales tax to shopkeepers and 20 percent bonus on minimum support price (MSP) for Rabi crops to farmers and waiving their loans.
"On November 8, Modiji said he is performing a 'yagna' against corruption and black money. In every yagna someone's sacrifice is done and every yagna is done to benefit someone.
"The demonetization yagna is for 50 families of the country's one percent super rich. It is the poor, farmers, laborers, middle class and small shopkeepers who are being sacrificed in this yagna. There has been tremendous pain caused by it," Rahul said.
In the "charter of demands", he sought a list of all those who have deposited above Rs 25 lakh before demonetization was announced and sought relief to those badly affected including provision of Rs 25,000 to at least one woman of each BPL family.
"We want the prime minister to explain some things to the country. After November 8, how much black money has come out and how much economic loss has the country suffered due to demonetization. How many people lost their lives and whether any compensation has been paid to them.
"The prime minister should also tell whom he consulted before taking the decision and spell out the names of experts consulted. The prime minister should also provide a list of all those people who have deposited Rs 25 lakh or more in their accounts before demonetization," he told reporters.
As part of the demands, Rahul said all restrictions on withdrawal of money be lifted with immediate effect and till the time these restrictions are in place, a special interest at the rate of 18 pc per annum be given to all.
He also sought that all charges on digital transactions should be abolished forthwith, adding that the charter of demands was "on behalf of the people of India".
Rahul said the price of of ration distributed under the PDS system should be halved for the period of a year under the provisions of the Food Security Act and a special one-time bonus of 20 percent should be provided over and above the MSP of all Rabi crops.
Rahul also said that an income tax and sales tax rebate of 50 pc should be given to small shopkeepers and businesses. The central government should compensate state governments for loss of revenue incurred on account of this exemption, he said.
The Congress vice-president also demanded that the number of guaranteed work days and the wage rate under MGNREGA should be doubled for a period of one year.
He also demanded that government should organize a special drive to identify and register those who lost their jobs since November 8 and provide them compensation at the applicable minimum wage rate for a period up to March 31.
Naidu hits back at Rahul
Later in the day Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu hit back at Rahul asking him to come clean on whether there is black money in the country and also need to take steps against it.
Speaking to reporters here, Naidu said that as the opposition party celebrated 'Congress Foundation Day' and it is only appropriate that the issue of black money, corruption, etc are haunting it.
Rahul by his smile and body language clearly "indicated" that there is not much of black money in the country, Naidu said.
"I would like Rahulji to muster courage and openly say so if his party's assessment is that there is not much of black money in our economy," the Union information and broadcasting and urban development minister said.
Everyone knows the close link between black money and corruption, Naidu said adding that if Congress party says there is no black money in our economy, obviously, there is no place for corruption in our system.
"Is this the stand of the Congress?" he asked.
Naidu said that Congress is in panic and trying to create confusion. He claimed that Congress is worried that nobody was was taking Rahul seriously, whether it is the people, opposition leaders or its partymen.
That is why the opposition leaders distanced from the meeting, Naidu said.
Naidu said that Congress and communists are disappointed as the people have continued to support the crackdown on black money.
Only some political parties which have been beneficiaries of the loot appear to be shaken, he claimed.