National News
Demonetisation a foolish decision by Narendra Modi govt, says Chidambaram
Slamming the Modi government over demonetisation, Chidambaram said that even a natural calamity would not heap so much misery as note ban did on people.
Former finance minister P Chidambaram today said that demonetisation was a foolish decision by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.
Speaking at an India Today event on demonetisation, Chidambaram said that even a natural calamity could not heap so much misery as note ban did. “Families went hungry for days, small businesses were wiped out… over 100 people died standing in queues,” the finance minister in the Manmohan Singh government said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a televised address on November 8 last year, announced high-value currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 invalid.
On BJP’s big win in the Assembly elections in March this year, Chidambaram said it would be wrong to conclude that people voted only on demonetisation and instead argued that the BJP won only two of the five states conclusively, namely Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
CHIDAMBARAM ON RAHUL, GUJARAT ELECTION
With the Gujarat Assembly election round the corner, Chidambaram said that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be a major poll issue but the election “will not be referendum” on the new tax regime.
He said people in Gujarat will vote on several issues such as atrocities on Dalits, the unmet demands of Patidars, farmer distress and incompetence of the chief ministers besides the GST whose faulty implementation has created “utter chaos”.
Chidambaram said that he would be the last man to predict which party would win in Gujarat. Congress rallies are attracting large crowds and there is a lot of unhappiness among different sections which is giving the Congress the confidence ahead of the crucial election, he said.
On Rahul Gandhi‘s new avatar, Chidambaram said he feels that the Congress vice-president‘s speeches and tweets have acquired a new edge.
Chidambaram said that nationally there is a “great deal of unrest and unhappiness” and he can see the change in social media and through his interactions with people. “BJP MPs have told me there is a mood change… but they don’t believe they will lose the elections,” he said.
