Rahul Gandhi addresses rally in Dharamsala, says ‘demonetisation firebomb on cash economy’

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the central government’s decision on demonetisation of high-value currency notes, saying the decision is “anti-poor” and favours 50 corporate families. He said demonetisation “is a firebomb on country’s cash economy”.

Addressing a public rally, he said “it’s the colour of the note that decides whether it’s in the hands of an honest or an unscrupulous person”.

“There is an honest person on one side while an unscrupulous person on the other. If the note goes into the hands of unscrupulous people, it becomes black as if under a spell of magic.”

Donning a Himachali cap with dry followers atop, Gandhi, in his 40-minute speech in Hindi, said the Congress was not against a cashless system but it should not be imposed and it should not be an “excuse”.

“The note ban is a step taken against the poor, farmers and the middle class Indians,” he said in the rally marking the completion of four years of the state government led by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said: “PM Modi you have divided India into two parts. On one side is one per cent rich and on other there are middle class, poor people.”