Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) Politburo member Brinda Karat came down heavily on the Central government decision to
abruptly scrap all notes of rupees 500 and 1000 denominations at a meeting at
Bagajatin park here this evening. Addressing a large gathering of women cadres
as part of Sara Bharat Ganatantrik Mahila Samity,Paschim Banga 27th Sammelan,  Karat alleged that 500, 1000 notes amounting to 100 crore were deposited in
banks before the decision was made by PM using a Pan card that carries the
address of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi. “An
amount of 100 crores was deposited over three consecutive days before the
sudden announcement of the PM Narendra Modi. We have inputs which will
substantiate this claim,” she said.

 Stressing that the
decision of the present Central government led by saffron party of scrapping
all 500 and 1000 denomination notes will eventually see futile results, Karat said:“PM has said that 1000 rupee note has been an easy medium of
counterfeit currency and for accumulation of black money. Will the newly
introduced 2000 rupee notes will remain white throughout? Will it not fall prey
of black money disease which has abundantly risen in this present regime of
BJP-led central government?” “After this sudden decision, chief minister Mamata
Banerjee is giving a lot of bytes and speeches against this very approach and
her attitude reflects that she is worried about how to recycle the black money
she and her party possess. You all do have the ability to judge her by her
panicked reaction,” she added. Karat again levelled allegations against CM
Banerjee with a satiric approach.

“Mamata Banerjee a couple of years back said that
Darjeeling will be turned into Switzerland and astonished all of us.But, the
present scenario exposes the utter failure of governance here. Tea estates
labourers are dying of hunger.They are committing suicide owing to poverty and
uncertain future.Estates have shut down. If Banerjee can speak against the
decisions of PM and allege that his governance has brought chaos and
uncertainty in the nation, she should first speak of the burning issues
existing here. I would like to say that PM and CM are both on the same track.
Corruption and failure to safeguard the minimum security of the common people
has largely degraded in Bengal under the present TMC regime. Like wise in the
nation as a whole.”

Earlier, Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) mayor, Mr Asok
Bhattacharya said that owing to the envy of the state’s ruling party against
the CPI-M, people of Siliguri have to suffer because the Trinamul Congress lost
the municipal and other elections here. The mayor added massive looting is on
in Bengal under the present TMC regime. Referring to the state government
alleged’s failure to release funds for SMC,Mr Bhattacharya said: “We do not
beg, we do not place requests all the time. We want facilities to which we are
entitled. Thus, we have been involved in protests on different fronts, be it on
the issues relating to tea labourers, corruption, blockage of government funds meant
for the common people, election discrepancies and others.” He further sent a
message to the attending cadres that the movement against the ‘corrupt and
inefficient’ TMC-led state government will be intensified in the coming days.