Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday took a swipe at the Congress' 'Donate for Desh' campaign, saying the party's financial condition started deteriorating after demonetisation and it is now asking for donations.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday had launched the party's crowd-funding campaign in Delhi and had asked people to join the fight against unemployment and rising costs.

"It is an amazing coincidence that after demonetisation, the financial condition of Pakistan and the Congress started deteriorating. The palm of the Congress (its election symbol) has a slip for donation, while Pakistan has bowls in both hands," Maurya, a senior BJP leader, said in a post on X. "'Yeh rishta kya kehlata hai? (What is this relationship called)'," he asked.

On May 19, the RBI announced the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 denomination bank notes from circulation. These were introduced in November 2016, following the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 bank notes.

The key objectives of the 2016 demonetisation decision were to promote digital payments and curb black money, besides eliminating terror funding.

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