Demonetisation anniversary: Cong demands white paper from Modi govt
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New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday alleged that demonetisation was independent India's "greatest organised loot" and demanded a white paper from the Modi government on the 2016 move.
Addressing a press conference on the sixth anniversary of demonetisation at the AICC headquarters here, Congress leader Gourav Vallabh said Prime Minister Modi had surprised all by declaring that currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 were being scrapped on this day in 2016 and the decision triggered "panic, creating unspeakable problems linked to cash and destroying countless small and medium businesses".
It has been six years since independent India's "greatest organised loot", Vallabh said and accused the government of destroying the economy through demonetisation.
Cash in circulation today is Rs 30.88 lakh crore, while it was merely Rs 17.97 lakh crore in November 2016, he said.
"One of the stated objectives of the demonetisation was to promote digital transactions as the government felt too much cash was in circulation. The sharp jump in cash has clearly exploded that objective of the government sending it the way of its other goals like fighting corruption, weeding out fake notes and curbing terror funding," Vallabh said.
Black money didn't come, only poverty came and the economy became weaker, not cashless, he alleged.
"Small businesses and crores of jobs were finished off, not terrorism," he said.
"The emperor demolished India's economy by giving the people illusions of a better outcome in 50 days," Vallabh said.
He said the Congress demands a white paper on demonetisation.
"The prime minister is yet to acknowledge this epic failure that led to the fall of the economy. He must acknowledge that," Vallabh said.
He said the government must share what plan it has for the unorganised sector and MSMEs who had suffered most in this exercise.
Vallabh said the Congress also demands an employment creation plan, saying "we can't convert demographic dividend to demographic disaster".
On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Modi had announced the decision to withdraw Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes with the ultimate aim of reducing corruption and black money in the economy.
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Delhi: Teenager slashes boy for refusing money for drugs; held
New Delhi (PTI): A 16-year-old boy has been apprehended for allegedly attacking a teenager with a paper cutter near the Red Fort area last month after the victim refused to give him money for drugs, an official said on Tuesday.
The juvenile, who had been absconding after the incident, was also found to be involved in another attempt to murder case registered at Jama Masjid police station, they said.
The case came to light on April 5 when police received information from LNJP Hospital about a 17-year-old boy, a resident of Nangloi, who had been admitted with serious injuries.
The victim had sustained sharp wounds on his neck and abdomen and was unfit to give a statement, the police said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the victim quarrelled with an unidentified boy at Parade Ground near the Red Fort, following which he was attacked. A case under relevant sections of the BNS was registered.
A team was constituted to trace the accused, which analysed CCTV footage from the area and identified a suspect seen fleeing the spot. The boy was later identified with the help of local intelligence as a vagabond frequenting the Chandni Chowk area, police said.
Despite multiple raids in Delhi and adjoining areas, the accused remained untraceable. Subsequently, his mobile number was tracked, and technical surveillance led police to Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
On April 29, the police team conducted a raid in a village in Haridwar and apprehended the juvenile after sustained efforts, an officer said.
During questioning, the accused disclosed that he had been living in the Chandni Chowk area for the past two years and was addicted to drugs. On the night of April 4, he allegedly got into an argument with the victim after the latter refused to give him money and slapped him. Enraged, he attacked the boy with a paper cutter, inflicting multiple injuries.
The police said the accused later attacked another person near the Jama Masjid Metro Station on the same night before fleeing to Haridwar.
He also disposed of the weapon and clothes by throwing them from a moving train to evade arrest, they said.
Further investigation is underway, they added.
