‘Demonetization a bane for BJP, a boon for BSP’

LUCKNOW — As opposition parties in India are waging a war against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetization move, Mayawati, the leader of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, is leading from the front.

“BSP supremo Mayawati has opposed the demonetization tooth and nail in and outside the Indian Parliament. She has shared the suffering of the public at large as many people have died waiting in long queues outside banks to swap their banknotes. The common people are bearing the brunt of this ill-conceived and unprepared move by the BJP government,” said Syed Hussain, former additional advocate general Uttar Pradesh, in an interview to Saudi Gazette recently.

“Farmers, labor class, vendors, and the poor people in general have suffered most due to the scrapping of Rs1,000 and Rs500 banknotes. The BJP government is not able to achieve the targets declared for the demonetization. It has failed to rein in the so-called terrorism and counterfeit notes. As a matter of fact a large amount of fake currency has been recovered from the possessions of many influential people and our brave soldiers are still being killed by terrorists on the border, said Hussain.

Casting doubts and intentions behind the government’s move, Hussain claimed: “It appears that demonetization was a camouflage in the name of curbing terrorism and fake currency. Demonetization was announced at a time when many states are scheduled to go to polls. The ruling class in the center and its leaders in various states have already collected huge amount of the new currency notes which are being recovered on a daily basis from many



parts of the country.”

Taking a dig at the ruling party at the center, Hussain said, “Most of the black money hoarders belong to the BJP. It appears it was a planned strategy to accumulate new currency notes by the BJP while other political parties may not have enough cash of legal tenders,” he added.

“Mayawati did not oppose change of currency notes but she opposed this decision because it was done without any preparation and planning, causing great pain to the poor people. Many marriages were cancelled due to the lack of new currency. The poor and middle class that was not able to marry its daughters or bury or cremate its dead on time due to the lack of cash would not forgive the BJP and would teach it a lesson in the upcoming assembly elections,” Hussain added.

Replying to a query regarding the beneficiary of this ill-advised demonetization at the time of assembly elections in many states, especially in UP, he said, “BSP will be the gainer in UP elections because it was not soft like Samajwadi Party on the issue of demonetization. There will be a setback for the BJP in UP elections at the hands of BSP due to its decision of demonetization that has created great havoc.”

“Only some blind devotees of Prime Minister Modi would like to praise demonetization. In fact, the TV channels are under threat. Due to that they are showing only the bright side of the demonetization. The honest journalists like Ravish Kumar were threatened for recording statements of the people standing in long lines in front of the banks by Bajrang Dal, the RSS and other organizations that are allied with the BJP,” he said.