Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel targeted the RBI and the BJP government at the Centre over the withdrawal of the Rs 2,000 currency note, saying the move is akin to eating their own words.
“When in 2016 currency notes of Rs 2,000 were launched, it was said that it had nanochips that can detect through a satellite even if these tenders are buried and tell us where the black money was hidden,” he said while talking to reporters here.
It (Rs 2000 currency note) was introduced to eradicate black money. The black money did not end but the note was withdrawn, he said.
“We want to ask RBI why it (Rs 2,000 note) was withdrawn from circulation. You had already stopped its printing in 2019. But in 2023, it was withdrawn from circulation, which means you are changing your decision in seven years. It is like ‘thook ke chatna’,” Baghel alleged.
He said the RBI governor should explain the misuse of public money. “According to an article, about Rs 1600 to 1700 crore were used for printing the currency note,” he claimed. “This is a misuse of taxpayers’ money. Now they should tell which currency notes are planning to launch. Or you (BJP) are pushing the nation towards digital cash like Bitcoin cryptocurrencies?” he asked.
PTI