India

Rs 2,000 note helped keepers of black money, says Chidambaram

Reserve Bank of India headquarter. [File Photo]

New Delhi: Hitting out at the Governemnt of India move to withdraw the Rs 2,000 banknotes from circulation, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said that the Rs 2,000 denomination note “only helped keepers of black money to hoard their money with ease”.

Taking to Twitter, the former GoI Minister said: “Banks have clarified that no identity, no forms and no proof will be required to exchange the Rs 2,000 notes. The BJP’s spin that the Rs 2,000 notes are being withdrawn to unearth black money stands demolished.”

“Ordinary people do not have Rs 2,000 notes. They shunned it soon after it was introduced in 2016. They were useless for daily retail exchange. So, who kept the Rs 2,000 notes and used them? You know the answer.”

“The Rs 2,000 note only helped keepers of black money to hoard their money with ease. The keepers of Rs 2000 notes are being welcomed on a red carpet to exchange their notes!,” he said.

“So much for the government’s declared objective of rooting out black money. The Rs 2.000 note was a foolish move in 2016. I am glad that the foolish move is being withdrawn at least 7 years later.”

His remarks came after the State Bank of India on May 20 issued a clarification regarding the exchange of Rs 2,000 currency notes.

In a circular last week, the SBI said that people will not be required need to fill out requisition forms if a person wishes to exchange their Rs 2,000 currency notes up to the limit of Rs 20,000 at a time.

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