Demonetisation was a "Modi-made disaster" which would be inquired into if the Congress is elected to power at the Centre, party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said here Friday.

The note ban exercise, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, 2016, had pushed the country towards economic disaster and it is the "biggest scam of independent India", he claimed

Speaking at a press conference here, Surjewala alleged, "The BJP and RSS purchased huge amount of properties across the country before demonetisation. The Congress has already released a list of eight such properties in Bihar and 18 in Odisha."

"Whether the BJP and the RSS were privy to the decision of demonetisation should be inquired," the AICC communications in-charge added.

Levelling charges against the ruling BJP, Surjewala said on the day of demonetisation, the BJP's Kolkata unit deposited Rs 3 crore in old currency into a bank account.

Besides, Rs 5.88 lakh crore was deposited in banks a month before the announcement of demonetisation in 2016, he claimed.

Sums totalling Rs 14,293-crore were deposited during demonetisation in cooperative banks in BJP-ruled states, he alleged, adding that this was 65 per cent of the total amount deposited in such banks nationwide.

"All such facts should be inquired into," he demanded.

Surjewala said the note ban decision had resulted in the slowdown of the economy as well as rise in unemployment.

"The prime minister and the BJP had claimed demonetisation was taken to eradicate black money and fake currency. None of the objectives of demonetisation, like eradication of black money and fake currency in circulation or breaking the backbone of Naxalism and terror activities, have been achieved," he said.

"Demonetisation is a Modi-made disaster," Surjewala said.

He said demonetisation and all other scams of the present government would be inquired into if the Congress was elected to power.

On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a ban on Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination bank notes with immediate effect.

The ruling BJP has, however, defended the exercise with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday saying demonetisation resulted in formalisation of economy and increased tax base, with the government earmarking more resources for the poor and infrastructure development.

Speaking on issues related to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Surjewala said the decision to give party tickets to leaders who had recently crossed over from the BJP, like Sartaj Singh, was taken after "due assessment".

"The decision about their candidatures was taken after due assessment. They have shown ideological commitment to the party. Sartaj Singh was insulted by the BJP," he said in reply to a query.

Sartaj Singh, a former union minister and sitting BJP MLA, crossed over to the Congress Thursday, hours after his name was excluded from the ruling party's third list for the November 28 MP Assembly polls.

In its list announced Thursday evening, Singh was given a Congress ticket from Hoshangabad seat.

He will take on MP Assembly Speaker and senior BJP leader Sitasharan Sharma from Hoshangabad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)