Institute of Chartered Accountants of India advisory was withdrawn after receiving flak on social media.The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), which issued a diktat to its members against expressing any negative opinion on demonetisation on any platform on December 9, hastily withdrew its advisory yesterday. According to sources, the advisory was withdrawn after it received a lot of flak on social media.“Members are strictly advised not to indulge in any nefarious act as to subvert the intentions of the Government in any remote possible way. The members are also advised not to share/write any negative personal views by way of an article or interview on any platform regarding demonetisation,” stated an email sent by ICAI president M Deviraja Reddy.It also said that, “The recent move of Government of India to demonetize the high value denomination currency as announced by the Hon-’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is a welcome step, which has given a definitive boost to the economic growth and dealt a lethal blow to the parallel economy that has cast its ugly shadow on the nation’s economy for long.”In his mail Reddy also expressed grave concern about some members of the institute indulging in illegal activities and helping businessmen convert their black money into white money. He warned that strict action would be taken against such members under provisions of Chartered Accountant Acts 1949.The diktat didn’t go down too well with ICAI’s members.“Whatever was said in the mail was Reddy’s personal opinion and not some directive issued by the ICAI. So, there was no need to worry on this count. Members were free to express their opinion on demonetisation, whatever they might be,” said Pune-based chartered accountant Shridhar Marathe.Other chartered accountants Mirror spoke to said that the diktat was an infringement on their freedom of speech.“Though I support demonetisation, such a mail from the president of ICAI is clearly an infringement on my freedom of speech. I will definitely raise this issue in our internal meetings,” said a Mulund-based chartered accountant.“The email clearly proves that demonetisation has backfired, and the government is now engaging in damage control.”YP Trivedi, a city-based senior Supreme Court lawyer who specialises in tax-related matters, said, “The professional body can’t issue such diktats to its members, and its members must speak up against such arbitrary directives.”The ICAI is the governing body of chartered accounts, and its president regularly communicates with its members on important issues related to the profession.