New Delhi, May 20, 2023, IANS

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) A day after the Reserve Bank of India announced to withdraw Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday slammed the government saying it had already given a deep wound to economy with demonetisation in 2016, and said that only a fair investigation will reveal the truth.

Targeting the government over its decision of implementing demonetisation on November 8, 2016, and the Friday's decision to withdraw the Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes, Kharge in a tweet in Hindi said, "You had given a deep wound to the economy with the first demonetisation. Due to which the entire unorganised sector was destroyed, MSMEs stalled and crores of jobs were lost."

"Now the 'second demonetisation' on Rs 2,000 note... Is there a veil over the wrong decision? Only an unbiased investigation will reveal the truth," Kharge said.

The RBI on Friday said that it will withdraw the Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation but it will continue as legal tender till September 30.

The government had announced its decision of demonetisation on November 8, 2016 and also withdrawal of legal tender status of all Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes in circulation at that time.

Even former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has also hit back at the government over its decision to withdraw the Rs 2,000 banknotes.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said, "As expected, the government or RBI have withdrawn the Rs 2,000 note and given time until September 30 to exchange the notes. The Rs 2000 note is hardly a popular medium of exchange. We said this in November 2016 and we have been proved correct. The Rs 2000 note was a band-aid to cover up the foolish decision of demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes which were popular and widely exchanged currencies.

"A few weeks after Demonetisation, the government/RBI were forced to re-introduce the Rs 500 note. I shall not be surprised if the government or RBI re-introduced the Rs 1000 note as well. Demonetisation has come full circle!" he said.

Chidambaram also said: "Rs 2000 note was never a 'clean' note. It was not used by the vast majority of the people. It was used only by people to keep their black money, temporarily!"