New Delhi: The winter session of the Rajya Sabha opened on Wednesday with a united opposition mounting an assault on the government over demonetisation, saying it had led to “economic anarchy” in the country.

Opposition parties alleged there had been selective leaking of the information before the announcement, which should be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

The government rejected as baseless the opposition charge that there was “leakage” of the November 8 decision and said everyone was taken by surprise, which is why there are “initial” problems.

Joining ranks over the raging issue, parties like Congress, JD(U), RJD, SP, BSP, Trinamool Congress, Left and AIADMK slammed the government, particularly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for making Rs500 (Dh27) and Rs1,000 denomination notes invalid and said the “ill-timed” and “ill-conceived” step had severely hit the common people, the farmers and the poor.

During a discussion on demonetisation, which was taken up after suspension of all business in response to notices given by a host of opposition members, a scathing attack was made on the government which strongly defended the step as one taken in national interest and to end corruption and black money, which it linked to terror activities in the country.

Alleging that the information had been leaked to BJP units and ‘friends of BJP’, a number of opposition parties demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into it.

During the course of 7-hour debate which remained inconclusive, there were repeated demands by the opposition members that the Prime Minister should be present in the House to listen to the members. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Modi, who did not come to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, should at least be present tomorrow and possibly intervene.

Initiating the debate, Congress leader Anand Sharma used wit and humour to attack Modi, saying he was “insensitive” to problems caused to the common man.

The “ill-timed” and “ill-conceived” move has unleashed “economic anarchy” in the country and benefited a few, he said.

“Your government is insensitive,” he said, adding Modi was riding a bullet train in Japan when old, women and common man were queueing up at banks at 3 am to get currency to buy their daily needs.

Questioning the government’s contention that the step was taken to end the menace of black money, the former Union Minister said a bigger Rs2,000 note has been brought which is similar to the paper on which ‘churan’ is sold and “sheds colour”.

Sharma alleged that the information on demonetisation was selectively leaked.

“Your BJP units have deposited crores of rupees (just before the November 8 decision),” he said.

He quoted some media reports to support his allegation, saying State Bank of India - the country’s largest lender - knew of the decision way back in March and a Gujarati newspaper had in April published a report of move to withdraw Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes.

Among those who demanded a JPC probe were Congress’ Pramod Tiwari, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.

Congress is unequivocally opposed to black money and opposes any force that print counterfeit currency, Anand Sharma said while alleging that the government policy was to “benefit those who are your friends and hurt those who question you.”

He said the government, in one stroke, took away 86.4 per cent of the over Rs16 trillion currency in circulation.

“Did the government think that 86 per cent of the currency in circulation was counterfeit or black money,” he asked.

He said an atmosphere has been created in the country where questions cannot be asked and those doing so are branded as anti-nationals.

“The magnanimous Prime Minister allowed Rs4,000 of old currency to be changed. What right does the Constitution give the government to place restrictions on withdrawal of one’s hard-earned money,” the Congress leader asked, adding one has to “beg to be allowed to withdraw his own money.”

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and leaders of three other parties including the Shiv Sena on Wednesday sought President Pranab Mukherjees intervention over the problems faced by people following the “financial calamity” unleashed by the demonetisation move.

Joined by the leaders of National Conference, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP ally Shiv Sena, Banerjee and 40 of her Trinamool MPs marched to Rashtrapati Bhavan demanding rollback of demonetisation of Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes.

However, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal gave the march a miss, with MP Bhagwant Mann representing the party.

Dubbing demonetisation as a “big black scheme”, Banerjee said the currency spike decision has led to the deaths of around 20-30 people across the country and resulted in a loss of Rs2 trillion to the GDP.

“This is a big black scheme, today there are no vegetables in the market, no milk for babies and no medicine for the sick and the ailing. Around 20-30 people have already died, many of them due to stress,” said Banerjee.

She also called for a probe into the rise of the banks’ non-performing assets (NPAs).

“In the last six months, nonperforming assets (of banks) have increased substantially, there should be a probe into this. Even the government’s income declaration scheme did not attract a single paisa,” she claimed.

Equating Modi with the medieval era Delhi Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, Banerjee ridiculed “the totally unplanned” demonetisation move.

“Now ATM means ‘Aayega toh milega’,” said Banerjee reflecting on the cash-starved citizens’ ordeal.