In an apparent attack on the opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said the demonetisation was under attack as its critics were tripped by the dramatic decision.
“Those who are criticising it are saying the government was not prepared to implement the decision,” Modi said at the Constitution Day celebration function at the Parliament House Annexe.
“But that is not the real reason behind their criticism. They are hurt because the government didn’t give them enough time to prepare for it,” he said.
“Even if they had got 72 hours to prepare themselves, they would have commended the move,” he added.
Modi made no reference to any political party. But the loudest criticism of his decision to do away with the old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes has come from the opposition parties.
The prime minister claimed there was only “little criticism” over his November 8 announcement.
Modi said the entire nation was fighting a big war against corruption and black money and the common man had become a soldier in this war.
“The common man feels that over the last 70 years, the same Constitution and its laws and rules were misused to drown the nation in corruption,” he said.
“Our nation tops the list when it comes to corruption. We want to change that and make this a proud country.
Modi invited all political parties, NGOs and the media to educate and encourage people about cashless transactions.
“Everyone has a right to use their money. But it is not necessary to have physical currency to be able to spend it. Ours is a nation that has over 1bn mobile phones. And we have technology to transact through these phones. Why not educate and encourage people to use this technology?”
He added that for the brighter future of the nation, there was a need for more transparency in financial transactions and a move towards digital currency.
Meanwhile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Raghav Chaddha said the BJP bought acres of land worth millions of rupees in Bihar to utilise its “black money” days before the government announced demonetisation on November 8.
Citing a news website report, Chaddha told reporters that Sanjeev Chaurasia, a BJP legislator in Bihar, has admitted that land was bought in Bihar and other places “up to the first week of November”. The deals, Chaddha alleged, were made on behalf of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah.