On Day 2 of anti-Modi stir, Trinamool blames PM for 120 deaths

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) On the second day of the nationwide protest demanding ouster of the Prime Minister over demonetisation and 'vendetta politics', the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress on Tuesday held Narendra Modi responsible for over 120 deaths in the country due to the "draconian" note ban decision.

Staging demonstrations in the national capital, Trinamool MPs blamed Modi for destroying the economy and asserted that their fight will continue until he is removed from office.

Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a tweet posted details of 122 people who, she claimed, had died due to the cash crunch following the November 8 demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

"Modi, you are arrogant. You are responsible for 120+ (122) deaths," she said posting statewise details of the "victims" including the reason for their deaths.

As per the list, Uttar Pradesh with 32 has the highest number of deaths followed by Bengal with 13 and Maharashtra with 11.

Banerjee claimed that in Modi's home state Gujarat, five people have died due to demonetisation. While three of them died in bank queues, a woman committed suicide after failing to buy food for her family and a bank cashier ended his life owing to stress.

Former union Minister and Trinamool MP Saugata Roy blamed Modi for destroying the economy.

"We are as much against black money and corruption, but the government's premise of demonetisation is totally wrong. With this one decision, Modi has destroyed the entire economy.

"Agriculture has suffered massively and the country is heading towards a situation where there will be an acute food shortage," Roy said in Delhi.

"People across the sectors have suffered except for the big corporate houses," he added.

With two of its MPs -- Tapas Paul and Sudip Bandyopadhyay -- arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam, the Trinamool questioned why some of the BJP members with "links with the company" have not been arrested.

"Why is the CBI acting in a partisan manner. Why hasn't it arrested the BJP leaders who have time and again been seen in parties with the Rose Valley directors," said Party MP Kalyan Banerjee.

"During demonetisation protests in Parliament, Modi reached out to Sudip Da (Bandyopadhyay), but he refused to meet him, hence, this political vendetta.

"Modi has lowered the status and dignity of the Prime Minister's office. Our fight will continue until Modi is removed from office," he added.

The Trinamool on Monday launched its three-day "Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao" (remove Modi, save the country) campaign holding demonstrations across Odisha, Punjab, Bihar, Manipur, Tripura, Assam and Jharkhand, besides West Bengal and the national capital.