Answer 5 questions, says Rahul Gandhi to PM Modi

New Delhi: Continuing his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, on the party’s 132nd foundation day, put forward a charter of demands before the PM.

While addressing the party workers, Mr Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of practising politics of “fear and anger” and told the Congress cadres that his ideology must be defeated.

Mr Gandhi said, “On November 8, Modiji said he is performing a ‘yagya’ against corruption and black money. In every yagya someone is sacrificed and every yagya is done to benefit someone. The demonetisation yagya  is for 50 families of the country’s 1 per cent super rich. It is the poor, farmers, labourers, middle class and small shopkeepers who are being sacrificed in this yagya”

Mr Gandhi sought a list of all those who deposited above Rs 25 lakh in the six months preceding November 8, while asking for relief to those badly affected by the Centre’s sudden decision. He demanded that Centre deposit Rs 25,000 in the bank account of at least one woman from each BPL family.

Mr Gandhi said, “We want that the Prime Minister should 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 the move. How many people lost their lives and whether any compensation has been paid to them.”

He asked what was the process of consultation and preparedness followed prior to the implementation. He added, “The Prime Minister should also tell whom he consulted before taking the decision and spell out the names of experts consulted.”

Continuing his list of demands, he said that all restrictions on withdrawal of money be lifted with immediate effect and if not, a special interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum be given to all till the time these restrictions are in place. He also said that all charges on digital transactions should be waived off.

Income tax and sales tax rebate of 50 per cent should be given to small shopkeepers and businesses. The number of guaranteed work days and the wage rate under MGNREGA should be doubled for a period of one year, he said.

Mr Gandhi also demanded that the government should organise 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.

Hitting back at Mr Gandhi, the BJP on Wednesday said he should first name the beneficiaries of several scams that took place during the UPA regime, asserting that he had done nothing against black money and graft.

BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said, “Rahul Gandhi has been asking a lot of questions and levelling baseless allegations repeatedly under the impression that his lies will be taken as truth if spoken daily and loudly. He should also answer who in the UPA government were beneficiaries of 2G, CWG and VVIP chopper scams running into Rs 1.86 lakh crore, Rs 72,000 crore and Rs 3,200 crore respectively.”