‘That’s why PM should be educated’, CM On ₹2000 Note Ban

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the recent decision to withdraw ₹2000 currency notes from circulation. Kejriwal stated that this move highlighted the need for an educated prime minister. The Reserve Bank of India had announced the withdrawal of ₹2000 currency notes from circulation. Kejriwal condemned the decision, claiming that the government initially introduced the ₹2000 notes to combat corruption and now, by banning them, they claim that corruption will end. He tweeted in Hindi, saying that an illiterate prime minister doesn’t understand and the public has to suffer.

The withdrawal of ₹2000 currency notes comes six years after their introduction in 2016 during the demonetization of ₹500 and ₹1000 notes. People have until September 30 to exchange their ₹2000 notes at banks, and the notes will remain legal tender until that date. The Reserve Bank of India has not specified a deposit limit for ₹2000 notes in bank accounts, but there is a limit on the number of notes that can be exchanged at a time, which is set at a maximum of ₹20,000 (equivalent to 10 ₹2000 notes).

Opposition parties, including the Congress and CPI(M), criticized the government’s decision. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh called it a reversal of the 2016 demonetization and criticized the initial introduction of ₹2000 notes. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury accused Modi of causing a disastrous impact on livelihoods and blamed the move for harming the informal economy and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

The decision to withdraw ₹2000 currency notes has provided opposition parties with another opportunity to target PM Modi and his government, particularly in the lead-up to the general assembly election.