The Congress on Friday attacked the government over reports of a rise in the circulation of fake currency, insinuating a link with “corruption in the guise of” the November 2016 demonetisation.

“Saheb’s (Prime Minister’s) order came — stand in queue. People lined up. Why has such an alarming situation occurred now? What was the real intention for demonetisation?” Congress communications chief Randeep Surjewala tweeted, tagging a report that claimed a tenfold increase in fake currency notes.

“The people do not know what corruption took place in the guise of note-bandi but one day the truth is bound to come out,” he added.

The Reserve Bank of India had confirmed a few days ago that the circulation of counterfeit Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes had increased by 121 per cent and 21.9 per cent, respectively, during 2018-19.

It said the increases in the circulation of counterfeit notes in the denominations of Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 50 were 20.2 per cent, 87.2 per cent and 57.3 per cent, respectively.

One of the stated objectives of the note withdrawal was the elimination of fake currency. However, counterfeit versions of the newly introduced Rs 2,000 notes were found very early after the demonetisation.

The Congress has consistently described the demonetisation as the biggest scam India has witnessed.

On Friday, the Congress also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment, made a day ago, that the first 100 days of his second term were a trailer and “picture abhi baki hai (the film is yet to be screened)”.

The Congress said that nobody wanted to watch the full film as the trailer portended a grim scenario.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal tweeted that GDP growth was down to 5 per cent, revenue collections had increased by only one per cent compared with a 22 per cent rise last year, and consumption was low.

He cited how auto sales and the collections of goods and services tax were declining, investment remained stagnant and unemployment kept rising.