Withdraw demonetisation in 3 days: Kejriwal; Many skip offices to stand in queues for cash

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday asked the government to take back the demonetisation decision in three days or face a revolt by the common man. Addressing a public rally with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee here, Kejriwal alleged a conspiracy behind the spiking of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes that has led to a cash chaos across the country. "Do you think people are fools?" he asked rhetorically. "Don't fool us. Don't say that standing in queues (outside banks and ATMs) is patriotism. "Take back this decision in three days... Don't test people's patience. Otherwise, there will be a 'bhagawat' (revolt) by people," he said. The Aam Aadmi Party leader also blamed the government for the reported deaths of 40 people in the country that have been linked to the dramatic announcement of November 8 that the high value currency would no more be legal tender. "Who is responsible for these 40 deaths?" he asked. Kejriwal again hurled corruption allegations at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There was a time, he said, when he too thought that Modi was an honest man. But Kejriwal flashed what he said were Income Tax department's documents to allege that two corporate houses had paid huge bribes to Modi when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister. Kejriwal said the government hoped to collect Rs 10 lakh crore from people following the demonetisation to make up for the massive losses the banks have suffered by giving out whopping loans to corporate houses that have now become bad debts. Many skip offices to stand in queues for cash: Meanwhile, the chaotic situation and long queues outside banks and ATMs in Delhi and adjoining Noida and Gurugram continued on Thursday with people frantically attempting to withdraw cash for their basic needs after the government scrapped large currency notes last week. On Thursday, many skipped their offices, for a second day in a row, as their previous attempts to withdraw cash proved futile despite standing in queues for hours. Dozens of people IANS spoke to complained that banks and ATMs ran dry of cash by the time their turn came on Wednesday. Asim Malik, a private professional, standing in queue at the Bank of Baroda in New Friends Colony, said: "I had taken a day's leave yesterday (Tuesday) so I could withdraw cash from the bank. However, the bank ran out of cash. So I have taken one more leave today to try my luck again." A college student, Sunny Agarwal, said she had been missing her lectures from the last two days. "The unavailability of cash has made our lives very difficult. I skipped my lectures as I have to stand in queue for several hours to get some cash for daily expenses." Many of the banks in the region had not received indelible ink till Thursday morning to mark those who exchange spiked 500 and 1,000 rupee notes with new or lesser denominations. Image: People standing in queues outside banks to withdraw money in south Delhi on 16 November, 2016/ ABP LIVE-Anurag Kumar