Lok Sabha MP and former union minister Shashi Tharoor slammed the BJP for the demonetisation and GST exercises which eventually pushed the country’s economy to a low.  The BJP might have been the biggest gainer through demonetisation for being able to pump in money for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign, but the real impact of  it would surface during the Gujarat elections.

"Himachal Pradesh does not have much of industries, but that is not the case with Gujarat, the state always known to be the engine of Indian economy. There is going to be a strong backlash,” predicted Tharoor.
‘’On the first anniversary of demonetisation it is all pain and no gain,” he said, while speaking to reporters here.

‘’When we see the BJP celebrating on the gains of  demonetisation, I actually do not know to cry or to laugh,” he said, adding,’’ today is a day of mourning. To mark this I removed my picture and have put black on my twitter profile’’. Heeding to a call given by the AICC to observe a black day on November 8, Congressmen including in the state had gone on a protest mode on the first anniversary of  the declaration of  demonetization in the country.

Listing out the woes of  the people, Tharoor said, “Today is a sad day for the country as lots of troubles was thrust upon the people of the country a year ago. Around 135 to 150 people died either while standing in queues or after being denied treatment as they had only demonetised currencies with them. Several marriages got postponed, many lost jobs and the worst affected were the daily wage earning labourers. The money spinning tourism sector was one of  the worst hit’’.