Congress, govt in fresh slugfest over demonetisation

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday called demonetisation the “biggest scam” in the history of independent India, adding that the party would order an investigation into the exercise if voted to power.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday called demonetisation the “biggest scam” in the history of independent India, adding that the party would order an investigation into the exercise if voted to power.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress president, addresses his party's supporters during a public meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, March 12, 2019. (REUTERS FILE PHOTO)

On November 8, 2016, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government made ₹1,000 and old ₹500 notes invalid.

Sibal showed an old 18-minute video purportedly showing a man who had allegedly exchanged demonetised notes worth ₹5 crore at 40% commission against a legal tender of ₹3 crore in ₹2,000 notes, allegedly with the help of a BJP worker in Ahmedabad.

“Demonetisation is the biggest scam in the history of India since independence. It led many to commit suicide. The country has to decide who is the thief and who is the ‘chowkidar’ (watchman)… The people will judge and decide. And when the government changes, we will investigate it,” Sibal said at a press conference.

The BJP, however, rejected Congress’ allegation, with finance minister Arun Jaitley tweeting: “The ‘Fakery Caravan’ of the UPA continues to move. After a fake BSY diary, a fake sting. When there are no real issues, rely on fakery.”