Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Sitaram Yechury slam Centre as ATMs runs dry across nation

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “destroyed the banking system”.

“Nirav Modi fled with Rs 30,000 crore and the prime minister did not utter a word. We were forced to stand in queues as he snatched Rs 500-1,000 notes from our pockets and put it in Nirav Modi’s pocket,” Gandhi told media.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the episode reminded about the 2016 note ban days and even described the situation with 'financial emergency'.

"Seeing reports of ATMs running out of cash in several States. Big notes missing. Reminder of #DeMonetisation days. Is there a Financial Emergency going on in the country? #CashCrunch #CashlessATMs," she tweeted.

He said people of India do not trust the Modi-led Central government anymore.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury tweeted, "Demonetisation did not kill terrorism. It did not kill corruption or fake currency either. But it has certainly killed the Indian economy. The cash crisis tells us how Modi's demonetisation disaster is still wreaking havoc."

"This govt which still has not been able to count the demonetised currency is asking us to trust its Jumla that there is no cash crunch. After the demonetisation disaster where goalposts were repeatedly shifted and deadlines changed, no one trusts the Modi government anymore," he said.

As ATMs ran dry in many states across the country, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday alleyed the fear of cash crunch, citing “sudden and unusual increase” of withdrawals  as the reason for the “temporary shortage” of cash..

“Have reviewed the currency situation in the country. Over all there is more than adequate currency in circulation and also available with the Banks. The temporary shortage caused by ‘sudden and unusual increase’ in some areas is being tackled quickly,” Jaitley tweeted.

He added that there was adequate currency in circulation and with the banks and that the situation would be tackled quickly.

According to media reports, at least seven states have complained about ATMs going dry.

People from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana have said that ATMs in their areas either do not have cash or are not functioning, NDTV reported.