Asia

Thousands protest across India against currency policy

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), student wing of India's main opposition Congress party, try to cross barricades during a protest against the government's decision to withdraw high denomination notes from circulation, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Nov. 28, 2016. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Nov. 8 televised address, announced the demonetization of India's 500 and 1,000-rupee notes, which made up 86 percent of the country's currency. He said it would wipe out rampant corruption, though in a country of 1.3 billion where most people don't have bank accounts, it also wiped out legally collected savings. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (The Associated Press)

Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), student wing of India's main opposition Congress party, try to cross barricades during a protest against the government's decision to withdraw high denomination notes from circulation, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Nov. 28, 2016. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Nov. 8 televised address, announced the demonetization of India's 500 and 1,000-rupee notes, which made up 86 percent of the country's currency. He said it would wipe out rampant corruption, though in a country of 1.3 billion where most people don't have bank accounts, it also wiped out legally collected savings. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (The Associated Press)

Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), student wing of India's main opposition Congress party, try to cross barricades during a protest against the government's decision to withdraw high denomination notes from circulation, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Nov. 28, 2016. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Nov. 8 televised address, announced the demonetization of India's 500 and 1,000-rupee notes, which made up 86 percent of the country's currency. He said it would wipe out rampant corruption, though in a country of 1.3 billion where most people don't have bank accounts, it also wiped out legally collected savings. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (The Associated Press)

Thousands of people are demonstrating across India to protest the government's sudden decision to withdraw large-denomination currency from circulation, a move that has caused enormous hardship to millions of people in the country's predominantly cash-based economy.

But the response to Monday's "day of rage" called by opposition parties was patchy, with the protests only affecting daily life in opposition-ruled states.

Nearly three weeks ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that 500- and 1,000-rupee notes would become worthless overnight and would be replaced by new currency in a bid to stamp out corruption.

Opposition parties have criticized the move, saying the government mismanaged the currency change and that Modi should address Parliament to explain his decision.