It has been three weeks since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the demonetization of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes countrywide. On this Bharat bandh has been announced on Monday against the ‘government's mishandling the ban.

With this ban, a shock came to the Modi government when all the opposition parties came together and joined hands in order to protest against the government ban. But the way the opposition is going to protest would be different from each other.

The left parties including CPI(M) and CPI, have called for 12 hours bandh in West Bengal. In this protest, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Leader Mamata Banerjee is  not going to join but she will hold the protest.

The Congress party has also decided not to participate in the bandh. Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said, "no Bharat Bandh has been called by the party but instead will hold nation-wide protests as part of Jan Aakrosh Diwas".

The JD(U) party will neither participate in the protest announced by opposition nor it will participate in the Dharna announce by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Patna on November 30. This decision of dharna was taken by TMC after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar welcomed the demonetization decision.

"We have supported he Centre's demonetisation move. How can we oppose or be the part of activity like bandh which is meant to protest the issue which our party has strongly supported," Bihar unit JD(U) President Bashishtha Narayan Singh said?

"JD(U) will not be part of any agitation against demonetisation including the dharna by Mamata Banerjee on November 30 in Patna," party Secretary General K C Tyagi said.

"We have taken an ideological position in favor of demonetization so how can we be part of any agitation seeking its roll back," Tyagi said.

BJP which is ruling in Odisha will not join the protest after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik having recognised the demonetization decision.

The opposition parties have planned different ways to protest. CM Mamata Banerjee decided to march to the President against the note ban. The AAP party joined TMC in the march but other parties like National Conference, Shiv Sena stayed away.

Though Shiv Sena supported demonetization it is unhappy the way it was making problems to people.

While Mamata's TMC and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP are demanding a roll-back of the announcement, other parties have voiced disapproval over the way it was being fulfilled which is causing hardship to the normal life.

Also Read: PM Modi’s Mother Visits Bank to Exchange Banned Notes

BY M. DIVYA SRI