Lucknow : BSP chief Mayawati on Friday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “painful and forced” demonetization he ordered two years back.

In a statement, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that so far none of the benefits propagated by Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in justification of the note ban had come true.

“Facts and data prove that the nation and its people have suffered the hasty decision of demonetization and that like its other poll promises this too was a bundle of lie,” Mayawati said.

She charged the Prime Minister and the BJP with breaking the spine of the honest and hard working people and creating joblessness while helping their favourites in turning black money into white.

The BJP acquired massive property in the run up to the demonetization, Mayawati said.

A party which took power in 2014 with the promise of ‘acche din’ (good days) has done nothing for people’s welfare, farmers and the poor, she pointed out.

She termed the ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes ordered in November 2016 a result of the “ego and dictatorial attitude of a single man” — referring obviously to Modi.

—IANS