Accusing the BJP leadership of compromising the confidentiality of the government decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to favour their party, the CPI-M on Friday claimed that big amounts had been deposited in the accounts of its West Bengal unit in the days preceding the announcement.However, the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied that it had any prior knowledge about the demonetisation."Just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on November 8, an amount of one crore rupees was deposited in a savings bank account that belongs to West Bengal wing of the BJP. It clearly shows it was aware of the impending ban on higher denomination notes," Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member and state Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra told reporters."In a span of six days, approximately three crore rupees was deposited in the same account, No.554510034. I want to ask the BJP leadership whether it is normal for their party to receive such high amount in cash on a weekly basis," Mishra claimed.Mishra also made a veiled allegation that the BJP central leadership had deposited huge amount of money in bank accounts before the demonetisation, so that their party does not face a fund crisis before the impending elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh."It is possible that BJP leaders were well aware of this ban and that is why, deposited huge amount in banks across the nation to make their black money white," Mishra said.Soon after Mishra's media meet, the BJP state leadership pooh-poohed the allegation, saying such transactions were completely legitimate and done regularly to take care of the expenses needed to run a political party.
"We are obliged to provide the details of our source of fund to the Election Commission and the Income Tax Department whenever it is needed. The BJP does not indulge in unethical transactions. We believe in the banking system of the country," party's state Vice President Jay Prakash Majumdar said."Unlike some other parties, who can't reveal their source of funds, we generally carry out transactions though cheque. For cash transactions of such amounts in banks, one has to produce the PAN details. The mention of proper PAN and other account-related details during the transaction proves it is a legitimate transaction," said Majumdar."I categorically state we had no inkling about the ban on some currency notes. So many transactions had taken place throughout the country till 8 p.m. on that day. Did all of them know about the impending announcement? This is rubbish," he added.While talking about state's ruling party Trinamool Congress' vehement protest against the currency ban, Mishra said it is merely an eyewash and accused Trinamool of "having an understanding" with the BJP."The money of Sarada (ponzi) scam reached Jamaat-e-Islami terrorists in Bangladesh. This shows our state government's stand on black money," Mishra said.