Patna: The RJD demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after after the RBI announced that 99.3 per cent of demonetised currency notes had returned to the bank.

RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwari said Modi should show some courage and accept in public that the demonetisation decision was a blunder. Tiwari pointed out that the Indian economy has still not revived from the problems triggered by demonetisation.

"Demonetisation was a fraud committed on the people of India," Tiwari said. "I still remember how Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that people of the country have 'every right to punish me at any public square if there be any wrong intention'. He is probably the first Prime Minister in the world who has done such a shameless thing to his own people."

Tiwari said over a 100 people died during demonetisation and the Modi government did not even take cognizance of the dead.

"The Modi government did not even express condolence or mourn those who died during demonetisation," the RJD veteran said.

"Crores of people lost their jobs and the country's economy is yet to revive. This was a criminal decision. Where is the black money his government claimed to have unearthed? He should at least apologise to the nation for his blunder because people will ask him in the coming Lok Sabha elections."

He stressed that demonetisation will be the biggest issue in the coming election and the Modi government would have no answer for questions from the common man, especially those who queued up for hours to access their own money.

Dal defends move

The JDU, on the other hand, claimed that the objectives behind demonetisation had been achieved.

"The objective was to bring out stashed black money and that objective has been met and despite initial hiccups, after two years, RBI has finally completed its job," JDU spokesperson Ajay Alok said on Thursday.

"A sustained effort is required against corruption and demonetisation was just part of it," he added.

Asked about problems faced by people during demonetisation, Alok said: "Any big decision you take has its initial hiccups and people face the side-effects, but hats off to people of the country who were resilient enough.

"As 99.3 per cent of the money has returned, it proves that the decision was right because the government tax increased by Rs 30,000 crore and 2.5 lakh companies were barred. It was a drive against black money which succeeded," he added