Shiv Sena chief calls for a review of the decision, says deadline for exchanging old notes should be extended
Uddhav Thackeray with Sanjay Raut during a press conference at Sena Bhavan yesterday. Pic/Sameer Markande
Taking up the cudgels on behalf of the people inconvenienced because of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has come down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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He dared Modi to carry out a surgical strike on Swiss banks instead of “troubling hapless citizens”.
“One should remember that the common people have voted for the government. If someone wants to expand his chest size of 56 inches to 5,600 inches, then he should strike Swiss banks and bring back the black money,” said Uddhav, without naming Modi. He indirectly blamed the PM for causing the death of a senior citizen standing in the queue at an ATM in Thane on Friday. “The person who announced this decision is responsible for the death of this old man,” he said.
“Modi carried out a surgical strike (in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) and it was a brave step. But this move of weeding out black money seems to have backfired.”
Uddhav also said that people’s surgical strike in the elections would be too difficult for the government to handle if things continued in this manner, bringing trouble for the common man.
“Morarji Desai had taken a similar decision (in 1978), but we know how effective it proved to be. I’m not against cleaning out black money, but there has to be some method of doing it.”
Taking potshots
“Modi neither did a ‘mann ki baat’ this time, nor did he speak about ‘jann (people) ki baat’. What he did this time was ‘dhan (money) ki baat’,” he said.
Uddhav added that the decision should be reviewed in terms of extending the deadline for exchanging money. He said people were being inconvenienced in hospitals and markets because they did not have the new notes.
“I’m not against the decision, but I want it reviewed for giving relief to the common man. The PM has brought people out onto the streets, while he’s away touring Japan.”
Taking a potshot at policymakers, he said he wondered if the government would install cameras in every household and keep an eye on individual lockers.
“Leaders are not troubled by this decision at all. Please stop harassing the common people, because you have been elected for their welfare,” Uddhav added.
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