No rollback of currency ban, some CMs spreading panic: Arun Jaitley
The government ruled out on Thursday any rollback of a sudden recall of high-value banknotes, saying that the rush of frenzied customers at banks had steadily decreased over the past few days.
The government ruled out on Thursday any rollback of a sudden recall of high-value banknotes, saying that the rush of frenzied customers at banks had steadily decreased over the past few days.
Minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha with finance minister Arun Jaitley at the Parliament House on Thursday. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)
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In an interview to ANI, finance minister Arun Jaitley said there was no shortage of currency in the country to deal with the millions lined up outside banks and ATMs to withdraw, deposit or exchange old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 withdrawn last week.
“There is a great regret that some people were inconvenienced. But the larger object of interest is to squeeze the quantum of currency,” he said, lauding banks for “bringing down the rush”. “ATMs are being recalibrated on a war footing.”
People wait outside a bank in New Delhi to withdraw cash and exchange demonetised banknotes.
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The government said it had to withdraw currency that promotes black money, counterfeit notes and crime and finally promote digital transactions.
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The government said it had to withdraw currency that promotes black money, counterfeit notes and crime and finally promote digital transactions.
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He also hit out at chief ministers and leaders “spreading panic” – a possible reference to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart, Arvind Kejriwal, who have threatened a public revolt if the demonetisation move isn’t withdrawn in three days.
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“Most chief ministers across the country have not only supported this but used their apparatus to support this. I appreciate this.”
He attacked the Congress for allegedly comparing the demonetisation move to the Uri terror attack, asking “vested interest” the opposition party had in blocking a move to root out black money.
“Congress as a national party must support it instead of obstructing and then comparing it with Pakistan terrorism is irresponsible.”
Dhrubo Jyoti is Deputy Executive Editor at Hindustan Times, where they help oversee the newspaper’s daily news and opinion coverage. They are part of the leadership team of the newspaper and their daily responsibilities include news selection, commissioning and editing, apart from planning and executing special projects. Apart from this, they write on national affairs at the intersection of caste and sexuality, with a focus on elections, politics and the lifeworlds of the caste marginalised. Formally trained in physics from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata and Bose Institute, Kolkata, they made a switch to studying journalism from the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai. Over the past decade at Hindustan Times, they have worked at the National Desk, Page 1 team, Integrated Copy Desk and Special Stories Team, before running the opinion page as views editor for two years, and then moving back as Senior Editor of News Operations. In the past 12 years, they have reported on numerous national and state elections, specialising on caste-informed coverage of major moments in India’s history, and focussing on leading investigations into government accountability and social inequities. Their narrative non-fiction work aims to put Dalit voices at the core of India’s LGBTQIA+ movements.
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