Russia plans diplomatic protests and threatens to take ‘counter steps’ since its diplomats in India have been struggling for cash in the aftermath of the cash ban and demonetisation drive.
Moscow may call upon the Indian envoy soon to protest against the Rs. 50,000 cap on withdrawals in a week. Russian Government sources have said that Ambassador Alexander Kadakin had written a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs on December 2 and is awaiting a reply on the same. In the letter, Mr. Kadakin has supposedly mentioned that the limit set is insufficient for operational expenses and “not even enough to pay for a decent dinner”. The envoy further questioned asking, “How can such a big embassy in Delhi function without cash?”
There has been no official response from the Foreign Ministry just yet, they are awaiting recommendations from the inter-ministerial task force set up to address the problems faced by embassies and NRIs – according to NDTV. The restraint, according to Russian government sources, has been described as “a violation of international charters”.
Last month, the government banned Indian currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000, which made up 86 per cent of the cash in circulation. In order to regulate the distribution of cash, the government imposed limits on withdrawals and exchange of banned notes.
