Indian opposition parties call for nationwide protests over demonetization

India's opposition parties Monday called for nationwide protests over the government's demonetization move.

The country's main opposition Congress party held protests in various states against the sudden scrapping of currency notes of higher denominations and its impact on the common people, but stayed away from the shutdown call by the Communist parties.

Even regional parties like the Trinamool Congress in the eastern state of West Bengal, Bahujan Samaj Party in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and anti-graft Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi have said they do not support a shutdown in view of the huge costs involved.

In West Bengal, one of three states where the Communist parties have a presence, there has been virtually no impact of the shutdown call as schools, offices and factories were open. However, in the southern state of Kerala ruled by the Communists, public transport was off the roads.

All the opposition parties are demanding an end to the hardships faced by the common people in the wake of the ban on currency notes of 500 rupees and 1,000 rupees (75 U.S. dollars and 15 U.S. dollars respectively) and an apology from Modi for the decision.

The Indian government has slammed the protests. "The opposition should be directing its anger at black money but unfortunately it is doing the reverse," Indian Minister Ananth Kumar told the media in the national capital this morning.

The government says the people have overwhelmingly backed the cash ban move to curb the menace of black money and corruption and that the inconvenience caused will ease within 50 days.

(APD)