Just 11 days ago, the LDF and UDF came together to pass a resolution in the Kerala Assembly against Modi government’s demonetisation. However, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala came down heavily on Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Saturday, alleging that the minister has only been complaining about demonetisation, but is not taking any concrete steps to resolve the crisis.
Chennithala alleged that the LDF government is trying to exploit the cash crunch politically. He pointed that other southern states had communicated their difficulties to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as early as November 15, and had received the necessary currency reserves in their treasuries in time.
The Times of India reports that Chennithala told Isaac to refrain from being a “showman and conducting roadshows“.
The Opposition leader also said, “When there is a crisis, there should also be crisis management. But the statements of the Finance Minister look as if he wants to further increase the crisis faced by the people,” reported ToI.
Responding to the allegations, Isaac said that Chennithala should clarify whose agenda he is carrying out. The Minister’s office also clarified that Isaac had detailed the crisis in person to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as early as November 13, and that a detailed letter was sent on November 24, for which there had been no reply from the centre till November 28. Another letter reminding the centre of the state’s demand was issued on November 29, a source in Isaac’s office told ToI.
While the LDF government had asked for Rs 127 crore from the RBI for the distribution of salaries and pensions, until Friday, 50 treasuries were still awaiting currency. The situation improved on Sunday as Rs 66.19 crore was allotted to the state, though the full currency demand is yet to be met.
Chennithala demanded that the state should put together a disaster relief package to mitigate the situation. He alleged that post demonetisation, the government had failed to maintain the supply of essentials at ration shops, thus leaving those in need bereft of essential commodities.
He also demanded that an all-party meeting be called to discuss the issue, and said that the opposition was willing to cooperate with the government on the issue.
The Congress has also announced that it will picket central government offices in Kerala on December 5 as the next step in its anti-demonetisation protests.
“The Centre is doing nothing to resolve the present crisis. It has triggered wide protest among people across the country. There had been no instance in independent India that the government itself was pushing people into such a misery,” KPCC president VM Sudheeran said in a statement on Saturday.