A man holds ₹2,000 notes to exchange them at a bank on May 23. Photo credit: Sandeep Saxena
Days after the Reserve Bank withdrew ₹2,000 notes, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh hit out at the Centre, saying the government should first explain why the ₹2,000 note was introduced.
On 19 May, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the withdrawal of ₹2,000 currency notes, but gave the public time till 30 September to deposit the notes in accounts or exchange them with banks.
The RBI said it has asked banks to stop issuing Rs 2,000 notes with immediate effect.
Asked about the RBI’s decision, Mr Singh told reporters in Indore on May 23, “First, they [Central Government} should explain why these notes were introduced.” In a major decision ahead of Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh on May 23 announced that all unauthorised colonies until December 31, 2022, will be regularised.
Former MP Chief Minister Mr. Singh termed the State Government’s announcement “meaningless”.
“They have made such announcements thousand times. Where is the notification to regularise unauthorised colonies?” he asked.
On Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently saying in Shivpuri that his heart beats for local people and seeking an apology for the mistakes he may have committed, Mr. Singh said, “It is good that he has sought an apology after realising his mistakes.” A video of Mr. Scindia seen seeking an apology with folded hands and making comments at an event in Shivpuri has gone viral on social media platforms.
Mr. Scindia quit the Congress in 2020, following which 22 party MLAs in Madhya Pradesh also resigned, leading to the collapse of the Kamal Nath Government in the State on March 20, 2020.
The BJP returned to power in the State on March 23, 2020, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.