Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes scrapped: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says BJP alerted friends before currency ban

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to curb the issue of black money in the country. 

Kejriwal addressed a press conference where he said that the BJP had already alerted its friends before making the demonetisation announcement so that they could stash their black money.

"A huge scam has been perpetrated a few days ago in the name of tackling corruption. When the PM announced the move, he had informed all of his friends who had black money and they secured their money," the chief minister alleged.

Kejriwal added that thousands of crores of rupees have been deposited in banks over the last three months (July-September), which raises suspicions as to who the money belongs to. He alleged that money deposited in banks have not been properly reported.

"They are claiming that a lot on money will now come into the system. In the name of battling corruption, the only thing that is going to happen is that a lot of money is merely going to change hands. And for this, the people are being inconvenienced," the Delhi CM said.

"The government has said those who deposit their black money will have to pay tax and face a 200 percent penalty. That means 90 percent of the amount will be lost. Which holder of black money is going to make such a deposit? The government is indirectly trying to tell black money holders not to deposit their money," Kejriwal said.

He also alleged that the Centre went ahead with the ban despite knowing that ATMs are not configured to dispense the Rs 2,000 notes currently issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Meanwhile, Congress leader Kapil Sibal also slammed the currency ban and said: "My question is...account is mine, money is mine, then why should I stand in a line?... This is a decision made in haste."

"Banks mein katar hai , aam aadmi laachaar hai aur Modi zimmedar hai... Bina soche samjhe, desh ke saath ye mazaak ho raha hai (There are long queues in banks. The common man is helpless. PM Modi is responsible for all this. The country is being taken for a ride without giving any thought about the consequences)," Sibal said.

He added that a committee of enquiry should be set up to investigate all the money that was spent by the BJP before Modi became the prime minister of India.