On the seventh anniversary of demonetisation, the Congress on Wednesday called the BJP government’s contentious step the “biggest assault” on the country’s economy and that the people are still nursing the wound inflicted by it.

“Demonetisation was the biggest assault on India’s economy and livelihood. Indians are still nursing the wound of this mindless giant attack. Fifty days is what (Narendra) Modi ji wanted… But 7 years down the line, people of India badly battered and bruised on that fateful night of November 8, are still searching for answers,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on X.

Kharge, who is the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, also posed a volley of questions to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and asserted that poor and middle class are “suffering” under the present government.

“Why were lakhs of small businesses forced to shut? Why were the carefully collected savings of our home-makers destroyed? Why were crores of people made to stand in lines, waiting for their own money? Why did 150 people lose their lives for one man’s ego? Was ‘black money’ wiped off?” he asked.

He further said, “Did terror incidents and Naxal violence stop after 2016?  Did fake currency decrease? Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data tells us that fake notes of Rs 500 denomination increased by 14 per cent last year alone.

“Why couldn’t we become a ‘cashless economy’ without wiping off 86.4 per cent notes at one go?  While Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi is busy hobnobbing with his rich ‘dear Friends’, India’s poor and middle class are suffering,” the Congress chief said without naming anyone.

Seconding him, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “Respected PM Narendra  Modi Ji, today is the 7th anniversary of ‘demonetisation’ touted as  your visionary step for eradication of black money from India. Now should we celebrate the occasion or mourn for abysmal failure.”

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi also took to the microblogging site to slam the BJP government over demonetisation. “Demonetisation was a well-planned conspiracy to destroy employment, eliminate small businesses, harm farmers. It was attack on 99 per cent common people and benefit 1 per cent capitalist ‘friends’ of Modi. This was a weapon to pick  pocket (common people),” he said.

 Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the step broke the back of the India economy.

“Seven years ago today on 8th November 2016 at 8 pm, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inflicted demonetisation on an unsuspecting nation. A decision that broke the back of the Indian economy and epitomised the unique combination of hubris, inhumanity and economic illiteracy that is the hallmark of the Modi government,” he said in statement posted on X.

Attacking the government, he said, “At least 74 notifications were issued within 50 days of demonetisation by the Modi government and RBI demonstrating the utter cluelessness behind the move.Most tragically, over 100 people died in queues and stampedes, trying to access their own money.India will not forgive the Prime Minister for this monumental disaster.”