Joint front against note ban? CPM to wait till House starts

New Delhi: The CPI(M) has decided to wait for some more time to support the TMC’s suggestion of forming a joint front to oppose the Centre’s demonetisation drive, saying it would first want to know the government’s response in Parliament, which starts on Wednesday, to asses “who stands where” on the issue.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims of checking corruption through demonetisation cannot be achieved with the steps that are currently being taken. The Left leader also claimed that the move was politically motivated and was aimed at the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. He alleged that some BJP leaders had prior information about the decision, in an obvious reference to the party’s West Bengal unit depositing “crore just hours before the PM’s announcement”.

Mr Yechury also said that West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee had called him. “She called me and said people are facing hardships due to the decision, this is wrong and we should raise our voice against it. I told her that the Parliament session is nearing, some parties have given notices to suspend business and debate the issue. We would like to see what is going to be the government’s stand on the issue and based on that, we will decide future steps,” he added.

The Left leader also appealed to the Centre and West Bengal governments to let the public use old currency notes at public utilities till December 31, like the CPM-led LDF government has done in Kerala.