Congress' Adhir Ranjan defends 'Pagla Modi' remark over scrapping of ₹2,000 notes: ‘Echoing sentiments of people’
1 min read . Updated: 24 May 2023, 06:21 PM IST
PremiumAdhir Ranjan Chowdhury said he was only voicing how the public was reacting to the RBI announcement of the scrapping of the ₹2,000 notes
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has clarified his "pagla Modi" remark over the withdrawal of ₹2,000 currency notes, saying he was echoing the sentiments of the people. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also said that he was only voicing how the public was reacting to the RBI announcement of the scrapping of the ₹2,000 notes.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury made the controversial remarks against PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday while addressing a press conference. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the Central government for announcing the scrapping of the ₹2,000 notes "all of a sudden".
The Lok Sabha MP said, "Again, all of a sudden, he [PM Modi] announced the scrapping of ₹2,000 notes. He is not Modi, he is 'Pagla Modi'. People are calling him 'Pagla Modi'. The country's economy is already dwindling and he has further taken this step to worsen the situation. Now, ₹2000 notes will not run in the market."
"The people are completely frustrated with this government. Now, people are raising their voice, they are saying that everyone [political parties] will have to come together under Congress' leadership to fight against them [BJP]," Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury added.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has now clarified his comment, saying that he was only expressing the sentiments of the people.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday decided to withdraw the ₹2,000 denomination currency notes from circulation, but added they will continue to remain as legal tender. RBI had also advised banks to stop issuing ₹2000 denomination banknotes with immediate effect.
The RBI, however, said that citizens will continue to be able to deposit ₹2000 banknotes into their bank accounts and/or exchange them into banknotes of other denominations at any bank branch up to September 30, 2023.