Congress demonises demonetisation because it’s ‘corrupt’: BJP

New Delhi: Two years ago, on this day at 8 PM, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stunned everyone by announcing demonitisation — a move that reduced existing currency notes of denomination Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 to mere insignificant scrap paper. Though the move enjoyed the popular support with the perceived view that the move was to break the back of cash hoarders, some sufferings were real too.

The opposition was quick to highlight the sufferings on the second anniversary of demonetisation. After Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari lashed out at the ruling party with accusations, insinuations and ridicule with a series of tweets in the morning, the BJP hit back with 10 tweets.

The BJP asked 10 questions to the Congress, suggesting that the Congress feared this ‘anti-corruption measure’ would blow the lid off the activities of the oldest party in the country. The BJP alleged the Congress and black money had had a long mutual association.

10 questions for the Congress Party:

1. Why does Congress find merit in protesting against every anti-corruption measure of the Government of India? What do they fear? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

2. Why is it that wherever black money is there, the Congress is not far behind? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

The BJP, tweeting from its official handle, accused the Congress of an “anti-development mindset”. But what would hit the Congress hard is bringing in former finance minister P Chidambaram into it, questioning his moral authority to talk on demonetisation. Chidambaram is an accused in the case of the multi-crore Aircel-Maxis deal. His son Karti Chidambaram is an accused too — he has spent some days in police custody in that connection. 

3. What sort of politics and anti-development mindset is this of the Congress that opposes a bold move that has widened the tax base? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

4. How is a former Finance Minister, himself under radar of investigating agencies for massive corruption involving land, cash and foreign bank accounts, speaking on policy matters? With what face? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

The BJP claimed India had seen an increase of tax collection worth Rs 2 crore in the last two years; the ruling party credited DeMo for that. The party cited the jump that India has seen in the recently released ease of doing business ranking. No prize for guessing, BJP attributed this to demonitisation as well.

5. Mr Anand Sharma, a Congress leader, had personally opposed demonetisation on the floor of Parliament. In the last 2 years, India has seen an increase of more than 2 crore tax returns. Is this why you were opposed to demonetisation? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

6. Informal economy meant exploitation of the poor and the marginalized, many of whom came from lower middle class. Demonetization has lead to formalization of the economy, which has empowered them. Why is Congress opposing that? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

7. Is the Congress party living in a state of denial that it cannot see the surge in GDP numbers, the ‘Ease of Doing Business Rankings’ and Global Competitiveness Index? Why are they unhappy that India’s economic prowess is being recognized world over? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

8. Why is it that whenever India’s standing in the world increases the Congress takes to defaming India and creating an atmosphere of gloom to mislead the people? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

9. Congress now remembers small business but did the UPA think of this sector even once? Except tax terror, raid raj and arbitrary policies, what did Congress do for small businesses? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

10. Can the Congress name even one stringent measure they took during the UPA regime, which was aimed at eliminating corruption and black money? #CorruptCongressFearsDemo

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 8, 2018

Demonetisation, even after two years, evokes sharp reactions from both the sides. Even as the Congress used hashtag #DestructionByDemonitisation, BJP used #CorruptCongressFearsDemo. The war was not restricted in the virtual space of social media. After finance minister Arun Jaitley took to Facebook to attack the Rahul Gandhi-led party, Congress fielded P Chidambaram to hit back.

Rest assured, this is not the last you have heard on this.