The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on November 25.

THE Modi government has betrayed the commitment made by the prime minister on November 8 that people will be allowed to exchange the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes till December 30.

The prime minister had made this announcement on November 8 in his address to the nation. Not only that, he had further stated that the limit for the exchange of old notes will be increased from November 25 till December 30. The Reserve Bank of India had also in its press release on November 11 stated that the exchange of old notes would be available for nearly 50 days, ie, till December 30.

The government has now made a unilateral announcement ending the exchange of notes with immediate effect. This will put the common people into further difficulties and increase the sufferings of the poorer sections as many of them do not have bank accounts. The government has also made it impossible for them to open accounts without a PAN card.

The CPI(M) strongly condemns this latest onslaught on the people’s right to their own money and to spend it as they deem fit.  It reiterates the demand that all transactions with the old notes should be allowed till alternative arrangement for supply of new notes is made.

The Polit Bureau calls upon all its Party units to mobilise public opinion against these anti-people measures of the Modi government and strive to make the all India protest call on November 28 a big success.