Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge flags Instagram ads selling fake ₹500 notes, questions Modi government’s action | Bengaluru

Karnataka minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge has raised concerns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Instagram reels promoting the sale of counterfeit currency notes.

Taking to social media platform X on Saturday, Kharge addressed Modi directly, saying, “PM @narendramodi ji, fake currency is just a call away!” He reminded the Prime Minister that demonetization was implemented to curb fake currency but pointed out that social media is now flooded with videos openly displaying the printing and sale of counterfeit ₹500 notes.

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Read his full post here:

Kharge also cited Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement in Parliament, where she revealed that counterfeit ₹500 notes from the Mahatma Gandhi (new) series had surged by 400 per cent between 2018-19 and 2023-24.

Questioning the government’s inaction, he asked, “Who are these people? Where do they get fake note printing machines? What happened to your fight against cross-border counterfeit currency?”

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He further criticized Home Minister Amit Shah, questioning his efforts to tackle the issue. “Is HM @AmitShah only focused on targeting Opposition leaders and toppling elected governments? Why can’t he take strict legal action against the rampant circulation of fake currency?”

Kharge also raised concerns about criminals using social media to openly advertise counterfeit notes. “If fake notes can be sold on Instagram and other platforms, why aren’t your agencies monitoring this? What is @FinMinIndia’s Financial Intelligence Unit and the @RBI doing?”

One of the videos Kharge shared shows a high-end printing machine producing fake ₹500 notes, with text overlayed on the video reading, “New stocks available for booking.”

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