AAP protests on demonetisation anniversary

New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday held a protest march outside Thyagaraj Stadium here with around 1,000 party workers raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government's decision to scrap high currency notes on this day last year.

They also carried placards questioning the issue of unemployment "caused by the note-ban".

Party leaders Jarnail Singh and Gopal Rai led the gathering that raised slogans like "Notebandi ek dhoka hai, desh badlo mauka hai (Demonetisation is a deception, change the country, there is a chance)".

The rallying cry against the Prime Minister was "Modi teri mitron-mitron nahi chalegi, Modi teri bhaiyo-beheno nahi chalegi, Modi teri tanashahi nahi chalegi (Your speeches and tyranny won't work)."

"We are gathered here to observe the death anniversary of this country's economy whose situation was not perfect anyway and the BJP-led central government took the decision of banning the high currency notes," Rai said, addressing the protestors.

Noting that about 150 people lost their lives while standing in bank queues after demonetisation, he asked: "What has the country achieved?"

"Traders, businessmen and the biggest economists of this country want an answer to how much has the black money-related situation changed," said Rai.

"Tbe RBI (Reserve Bank of India) is in a bad state of endangerment."

He pointed to reports about people being caught with old currency notes and about fake notes finding a way through bank transactions.

"Modi ji (Narendra Modi) only has to say bhaiyo aur beheno but has no answers to the increasing unemployment in the country."

Rai said the ongoing job fair organised by the government in the capital has revealed that "60 per cent of people have lost their jobs due to demonetisation and GST (Goods and Services Tax)".