The Congress on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the hardship faced by the common man in the wake of November 8 demonetisation move which, the party said, was in reality meant to bail out those with ill-gotten wealth.The Congress said Modi's pledge that the cash-crunch caused by spiking of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will stabilise in 50 days cannot be believed because his earlier promises too had fallen flat."Why should we trust the government? They are only extending deadlines. On November 8, Prime Minister Modi said it is an inconvenience of only a few days and then went to Japan. Now, he is asking for 50 days," senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal told the media here."Modi ji said Rs 80 lakh crore is lying outside India and promised he will bring it back in 100 days (of coming to power at the Centre). Where is the black money?" Sibal said."Why should we trust him? The Rs 80 lakh has not been brought back. If he has lied about that, why should we trust him now?"
Sibal launched a blistering attack on Modi, accusing him of being out of sync with the woes of the common man now struggling for cash."All this has nothing to do with battling black money or corruption," the former Union minister said. Sibal also hit out at the government for not giving a list of names of people with black money to the Supreme Court."As far as black money is concerned, Modi ji is yet to give the names to the Supreme Court."Saying that Modi had "collaborated" with those who have black money, the Congress leader said it were the poor who were facing the brunt of his demonetisation decision that has resulted in serpentine queues outside banks and ATMs across the country.Sibal said the demonetisation was aimed at "wiping out the Non-Performing Assets of the public sector banks".
The Congress leader said Modi had no understanding of the plight of the ordinary men and women who were struggling to exchange or deposit the old currency or withdraw money from their accounts."He makes fun of people... It looks like he is far removed from ordinary people's problems." Commenting on the Prime Minister's statement that he had sacrificed everything for the country, Sibal asked: "Which palace was he living in that he gave up? Which property did he donate to the public? What sacrifices did he make for the country?"Sibal added: "Please understand the pain of the ordinary people. Stop your whims and fancies..."He also hit out at the limits placed on bank withdrawals."What kind of law is this? The money is mine, the bank account is mine, it is taxable income... Why can't I withdraw it? It is not Modi's money."