Arvind Kejriwal calls Assembly emergency session

New Delhi: Mounting attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “kadak chai” remark saying the poor were being “fed poison” instead, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that an emergency Delhi Assembly session has been convened on Tuesday to discuss the “explosive” situation arising out of demonetisation. Mr Modi had said earlier in the day “My decision is a little harsh. When I was young, poor people used to ask for ‘kadak’ (strong) tea but it spoils the mood of rich.”

The CM added that looking at the hardships faced by the common public due to the move, his government has decided to deploy civil defence volunteers who will not only help citizens with paperwork at the banks but will also provide them with water and refreshments while they are in the queues.

Mr Kejriwal reiterated his demand that the demonetisation of the higher currency notes be rolled back and lashed out at Mr Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley saying the Centre has lost “all sense of proportion due to lack of any concrete plan in executing the scheme.” “The situation is just the opposite of what the Prime Minister said. The poor are not sleeping. They are spending nights outside banks. Only Modiji’s friends are having good sleep. He has made the poor drink poison in the name of kadak chai,” Mr Kejriwal said.

The Delhi chief minister said he was pained to see people struggle for cash to buy basic necessities like food items and medicines, adding government was exploring options to arrange cooked food for those in need. “We have also asked the divisional commissioner to explore in the next two to three days the possibility of arranging food through ‘langar’s for those who are having to starve due to lack of hard cash,” Mr Kejriwal said. The Delhi health secretary has also been directed to ensure that there is no shortage in city government-run hospitals, Mr Kejriwal said. The Cabinet meet was attended by ministers and top officials, including the chief secretary. Mr Kejriwal is likely to meet his Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, who has also been vociferously opposing the measure, when she arrives in New Delhi on Tuesday.

“It is simply a mechanism to transfer 50 per cent of the country’s total black money to BJP’s accounts. The intention is UP polls. They would have arrested Swiss bank account holders and manufacturers of counterfeit currency had they wanted to act against black economy,” he said. Mr Kejriwal said the Delhi government was exploring accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes in Delhi’s pavilion at the International Trade Fair but decided against it as any such decision falls under the jurisdiction of the Centre.