The Congress on Wednesday termed demonetisation and the GST a "surgical strike" that had destroyed India's growth story and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley apologise to the nation for the "mistake".Addressing a press conference here, party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala along with chiefs of the party's frontal organisations said the "double whammy of demonetisation and GST" was being felt across the country. "The disastrous demonetisation and unprepared implementation of GST has led to a surgical strike on the Indian economy. It has not only destroyed India's growth story but also rendered crores of people jobless and caused businesses to shut down. This is why the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister should apologise to the country," Surjewala said. "It would have been good if they had said demonetisation was a mistake, sought an apology and initiated a probe. One's stature does not go down by seeking an apology but Modi is so drunk with arrogance of power that he is not willing to accept it (the mistake)," he added. Congress and several other opposition parties are observing the day as "Black Day". Surjewala said November 8 was the first "death anniversary" of demonetisation and also of 150 people who lost their lives while in queues in banks and ATMs. He compared demonetisation to the "note bandi" ordered by Delhi emperor Muhammad Bin Tughlak saying that it had caused immense misery. "On the first anniversary of demonetisation, those who looted are celebrating and the common man is mourning loss of livelihood and food," Surjewala said. The press conference was also addressed by Mahila Congress Chief Sushmita Dev, Youth Congress Chief Amarinder Singh Raja and Congress Seva Dal Chief Mahendra Joshi.