New Delhi: Amid fissures appearing in Opposition with JD(U) skipping a key strategy meet over demonetization, BSP supremo Mayawati rejected there is any division among the Opposition parties and said they are “united” against the issue. “I think the government’s decision to impose ban on notes was taken in haste without proper planning. This is not right.
Due to this, people are facing problems and entire Opposition is united on this. There is no division and the entire Opposition is raising their voices in Parliament,” she said. The Bahujan Samaj Party leader also said the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rather than Opposition, “have imposed” a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on the country, “The BJP government at the Centre has itself imposed Bharat Bandh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself imposed ‘Bharat Bandh’. Our party is not responsible for this,” she said.
Underlining that her party is against black money and corruption, she said the Central government’s “way” of containing corruption, by imposing ban on notes in a “hurry” is “not correct” and based on “self-interest”.
Stressing the people are facing hardships, she claimed situation like that of “financial emergency” has arisen in the country. Mayawati said even after 20 days of the announcement of the demonetization decision, there has been “no improvement” and long queues could be be seen outside banks and ATMs.
Reiterating the Opposition’s persistent demand of presence of Modi in Parliament during the discussion, she asked the Prime Minister is “shying away from replying” to the debate in the House. “Prime Minister must sit in the Parliament during the debate and must reply after listening (to the discussion). Modi did sit in Rajya Sabha for litte time but did not come back after the lunch because he knew he had to reply. Why PM is shying away from replying?” she asked.
Earlier in the day as the Opposition were observing ‘Jan Aakrosh Diwas’ to protest against demonestisation, they held a strategy meet where they decided to continue their stir in Parliament till Modi replies to the debate and a JPC probe is announced in alleged leak of the decision.
Some fissuers appeared in the Opposition as JD(U) skipped a meeting of all the Opposition parties held in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad in Parliament House. Sources said JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav had left Delhi early this morning. The opposition parties are divided over the ways to protest against demonetizationever since TMC chief Mamata Banerjee decided to march to the President against the move. While she was joined by AAP, National Conference and Shiv Sena, an NDA ally, other opposition parties stayed away.