Congress to launch 3-phase stir against demonetisation from Jan 2

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday announced it will launch a nationwide movement in three phases from January 2 to expose the November 8 demonitisation, which it dubbed the "biggest scam of Independent India".

Demonetisation was projected by the Prime Minister as a measure to fight black money but instead ended up creating two more markets of black money -- exchange of old scrapped notes with new notes and also the sale of new notes running into hundreds of crores of rupees.

"To expose this entire scam and expose how the national income and GDP (Gross Domestic Product) will be affected, the Congress has decided to launch a nationwide programme," said Randeep Singh Surjewala, incharge of the Communication Department of the All India Congress Committee.

"Till today (Saturday), our national and state leaders have already fanned out to various state capitals and held elaborate press conferences," he added.

Surjewala said all state leaders will fan out to their respective districts on January 2 and 3 and put out the material which, the party claimed, will exposes the scam.

The Congress leader said they will also expose the deficiencies and attack on India's economy, poor, farmer, the middle class and traders and shopkeepers by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"On January 6, the Congress workers will hold district-level 'gherao' of Collectorates across India," said Surjewala.

"Simultaneously, state-level Pradesh Congress Committee meetings will be held. On January 9, 'Garib ki jeb khali, bajao thali' protest will be held. The Mahlia Congress and all other frontal organisations of the party will participate in the pan-India agitation," he added.

He said the second phase of agitation will be between January 10 and 20 and the third phase between January 20 and 30.

"One market to convert old notes into new notes at commissions ranging from 20 to 30 per cent, which is happening with tacit complicity, and sometimes with active complicity, of the government and its officials as various raids have exposed," said Surjewala.

"Second, the sale of new currency notes running into hundreds of crores of rupees as the ordinary people continue to face a withdrawal ceiling of Rs 2,500 and now Rs 4,500 every day," he added.

"So, instead of attacking black money, demonetization has actually given birth to a new market of black money," Surjewala said.