BJP questions LDF Govt's response to demonetisation

Thiruvananthapuram: Questioning the stand of CPIM and party-led LDF government in the state on the Centre's "most poor friendly action" of demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, BJP Thursday sought to know whether it stood with the poor or with blackmoney holders and fake currency racketeers.

BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav also urged the Left Democratic Front government to "join hands" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in curbing the menace of blackmoney and fake currency.

"I would like to know which side of the table is Government of Kerala is. Is it with the honest people of the country, who toil from 10 am to 6 pm in their shops, in their offices, in their workplaces and earn money through their blood and sweat?

"Or as the statement of the state Finance Minister (Thomas Issac) suggest ... Is the government with the blackmoney holders, fake currency racketeers? Is it out to protect those who fund anti-national activities" We would like to know," he told reporters here.

Describing as "transformative" Modi's major drive against the parallel economy in the country, Madhav said the CPI-M "which choose to claim to be a party of the poor and ordinary people, has turned against most poor friendly action of Government of India.

"It is proving that the poor are only a step ladder for them to reach the corridors of power.Once in power they are not with the poor and common man. They are for the blackmoney holders and fake currency racketeers," he charged.

He said the Union government's fight against the blackmoney and fake currency racketeers "will have a very huge impact in the long run and health of our economy." His statement came a day after the Kerala government said the demonetisation would create "chaos" in the co-operative sector besides causing difficulty to the common man.

Making a statement in the state assembly on the Centre's decision, State Finance Minister T M Thomas Issac had said the disorder it would create in the co-operative sector, that is not under banking regulation, would be huge as there was no directive on how to handle cash in this sector.