Footage has emerged, from India, of dozens of government employees demonstrating half-naked against the demonetisation initiative.

The video, shot in Thiruvananthapuram, southern India, on Friday, show the men chanting and raising their fists in front of the district treasury of the city.

Standing in front of the district treasury Non Gazetted Officers Association President Ravikumar reportedly said: “This protest is to evoke memories of the Mahatma Gandhi protest against the British that the Government servants are staging this half naked under the banner of the NGO association."

"We are standing just in front of the district treasury in Thiruvananthapuram, which is a treasury in name only because the treasury is empty," he added.

Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced on November 8 that ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes would lose their legal tender status at midnight on the same day.

The measure was decided in a bid to control counterfeit notes and corruption.

The demonetisation meant many ATMs and banks were short of cash resulting in lengthy queues around the country and even lead to deaths.