CHENNAI: While the BJP celebrated the demonetisation anniversary, the opposition in Tamil Nadu held spirited protests on Wednesday against the currency ban clamped on the nation exactly a year ago.
DMK leader M K Stalin led the protest in Madurai. Agitations happened across all districts except those hit by floods.
Scoffing at speculation of mellowing down against the BJP government in the wake of Narendra Modi’s unscheduled meeting with DMK chief M Karunanidhi, Stalin accused some people of trying to create political confusion in the State.
“Some people are trying to create political confusion. I firmly say that their dream will not fructify,” he told the gathering in Madurai. Stalin also asserted that the stir against demonetisation would not end with tokenism for a day; it would continue further.
DMK women’s wing leader and Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi led the protest in Coimbatore while Durai Murugan did the honours in Tiruchy.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president S Thirunavukkarasar, presiding over a demonstration near the Chennai Collectorate, came down heavily on the Centre for demonetisation which, he alleged, had crippled the industrial sector. He also attacked the rollout of the GST that paved the way for levying heavy tax.
Four Left parties staged a joint agitation at Chepauk here on Wednesday evening. CPM State secretary G Ramakrishnan and his CPI counterpart R Mutharasan led the cadre. Leaders of two other Left parties - CPI-ML and SUCI - joined their senior partners in opposing the note ban.