NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has criticized the withdrawal of 2000 rupee notes, taking a swipe at the government’s decision. In a tweet, Kejriwal stated, “First of all, corruption will stop by bringing 2000 notes. Now they are saying that corruption will end by closing the 2000 note, that’s why we say, PM should be educated. Anybody says anything to an illiterate PM. He does not understand. The public has to suffer.”
The comments from Kejriwal reflect his disapproval of the government’s move, suggesting that the introduction of 2000 rupee notes was intended to curb corruption but is now being undone. Kejriwal’s statement also appears to question the Prime Minister’s understanding of the situation and implies that the public will bear the brunt of this decision.
पहले बोले 2000 का नोट लाने से भ्रष्टाचार बंद होगा। अब बोल रहे हैं 2000 का नोट बंद करने से भ्रष्टाचार ख़त्म होगा
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 19, 2023
इसीलिए हम कहते हैं, PM पढ़ा लिखा होना चाहिए। एक अनपढ़ पीएम को कोई कुछ भी बोल जाता है। उसे समझ आता नहीं है। भुगतना जनता को पड़ता है।
While, Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram echoed Kejriwal’s sentiments, asserting that the 2000 rupee notes were never truly “clean” notes. Chidambaram contended that the note was mainly used as a temporary storage for black money and was not extensively used by the public for transactions. He emphasized that the process of demonetization has now completed its cycle, and the RBI’s decision to withdraw the 2000 rupee notes aligns with the predictions made in 2016.
Chidambaram further criticized the government’s handling of demonetization, describing the introduction of 2000 rupee notes as an attempt to mask the repercussions of banning 500 and 1000 rupee notes. He even suggested that the government might reintroduce 1000 rupee notes in the future, as they were widely used in transactions before demonetization.
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!
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 19, 2023
Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav, the President of the Samajwadi Party and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, also targeted the Modi government over the withdrawal of the 2000 rupee notes. In a tweet, Yadav stated that the government is realizing its mistake late, while the people and the economy of the country have to suffer the consequences. He emphasized the need for wise and honest governance rather than arbitrary decisions.
कुछ लोगों को अपनी गलती देर से समझ आती है… 2000/- के नोट के मामले में भी ऐसा ही हुआ है लेकिन इसकी सज़ा इस देश की जनता और अर्थव्यवस्था ने भुगती है।
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 19, 2023
शासन मनमानी से नहीं, समझदारी और ईमानदारी से चलता है।
However, Siddaramaiah, a Congress leader and the upcoming Chief Minister of Karnataka, accused the BJP of using the ban on 2000 rupee notes as a diversion tactic to shift attention away from its failures. He questioned the government’s motive behind banning the note in 2016 and accused the Prime Minister of misusing demonetization for political gains.
In response to these criticisms, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the withdrawal of 2000 rupee notes from circulation.
According to an official statement released by the RBI, these notes will remain valid until September 30, 2023. The statement clarified that individuals can deposit their 2000 rupee notes into their bank accounts or exchange them at any bank branch.
₹2000 Denomination Banknotes – Withdrawal from Circulation; Will continue as Legal Tenderhttps://t.co/2jjqSeDkSk
— ReserveBankOfIndia (@RBI) May 19, 2023
The RBI’s decision marks the end of the 2000 rupee note’s tenure as a legal tender, prompting a range of reactions from political leaders across party lines. The debate surrounding the withdrawal of these high-denomination notes continues to fuel discussions on the effectiveness and implications of demonetization.