RJD, Congress protest against note ban in Bihar

Patna, Nov 8 (IANS) The opposition Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) and the Congress on Wednesday protested against demonetisation across Bihar and observed November 8 as a "black day" to mark the completion of one year of the note ban.

Hundreds of slogan-shouting workers of the RJD and the Congress staged a protest against demonetisation in Patna and took out a march to the District Magistrate's office.

"Protesting workers of RJD and Congress broke barricades put up by the district administration to stop them and entered the collectorate," a district police official said.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad led a protest in Hajipur, the district headquarters of Vaishali. He also addressed a rally against notebandi.

"Last year on November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation that not only claimed the lives of over 100 people but also affected one and all," he said.

He further said that demonetisation had created joblessness, slowed down businesses, and hit hard farmers and common people. "Demonetisation has harmed the country."

Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav said the central government's decision of demonetisation was "anti-people" and "anti-poor".

"People are unhappy and angry over notebandi followed by GST (Goods and Services Tax) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and therefore, observing black day," he said.

The Congress party was also scheduled to take out a candle light march here on Wednesday night to protest against notebandi.

However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s ally Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday congratulated the central government led by Narendra Modi for demonetisation. "Notebandi has worked effectively against black money. It hit hard even transactions for benami properties."

The BJP and its allies, including Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United and the Lok Janshakti Party of Ram Vilas Paswan, celebrated November 8 as "anti-back money day".