BJP to celebrate November 8 as anti-black money day

NEW DELHI: It's BJP's 'anti-black money day' versus Opposition's 'black day' on November 8 - the first anniversary of demonetisation. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday announced that the BJP will celebrate 8 Novermber as 'anti-black money day' because "demonetisation was aimed at making India an anti-corruption nation". While addressing the media at BJP HQ in Delhi, Jaitley said demonetisation was a huge step towards squeezing cash currency. He said that Congress had adequate opportunity to be in power but it never took any step against black money. Jaitley said Union ministers and other BJP leaders will organise various programs and inform people about steps taken by the Centre against black money on November 8. Meanwhile, several opposition parties had on Tuesday announced that they would observe November 8 as 'Black Day' and would hold protests across the country to highlight its "ill-effects" on the economy. Announcing the decision at a joint press conference of the opposition coordination committee, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad had said, "This particular announcement made on November 8 is the scam of the century, which is why we are observing this as Black Day." He described the note-ban decision as the NDA government's "most ill-conceived and hasty decision". "One can say this is a scam of the century. Eighteen political parties have decided to hold protests in every state in their capacity against the government's decision which caused hardship to the people. ever ever in the world people have died because of a government policy," Azad had said. The group of 18 opposition parties has been standing together against the government and formed the seven-member coordination committee comprising leaders of the Congress, TMC, SP, BSP, DMK, the Left and the breakaway JD-U faction. (With inputs from PTI)