Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting emotional over inconvenience caused to the common man over the government’s demonetisation step, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the PM was now facing concrete reality.
In a series of tweets, the Congress vice-president said, ‘First laughter now tears! Mediocrity comes face to face with reality.’
‘If trucks go off the roads, supply of essentials across the country will be paralysed. Hope Mr Modi has a plan for this,’ he said in another tweet while pointing at the liquidity crunch.
Gandhi had earlier tweeted about a smiling Modi during the latter’s visit to Japan recently.
‘Modi laughs as poor cry,’ he had tweeted.
The prime minister got emotional while addressing a function at Panaji today over the problems being faced by people after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.
He urged the people to bear with him till December 30, saying, “I will give you the India you desired.”
Congress leader Anand Sharma, too, hit out at the PM and said, “He (Modi) has created a propaganda and scripted India’s financial chaos and anarchy.”
He also alleged that the Modi government had sounded off those close to them about the demonetisation move.
‘PM is indulging in theatrics and drama. He is misleading people. His party and its leaders have thrived on black money. They are holders of illegal property and gold. I am levelling this direct charge on PM and his government that they made their own people know about the step,’ Sharma told a television channel.
The former Union minister also attacked the PM for calling majority of the country corrupt.
“In a country where majority of transactions are cash-oriented, is he trying to say that is black money? The farmers of this country, who sell and buy in cash, they work hard.
“Similarly, the unorganised sector, barbers, housemaids, construction labourers. PM is condemning the majority and mocking at them. He is calling three-fourth of this country corrupt,” he said.
Sharma added that Modi was also in the wrong to deny the common man access to their own bank accounts.
Photograph: PTI