Demonetisation is in national interest

“Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who spoke on behalf of the ruling side after Congress leader Anand Sharma slammed the government, rejected as baseless the opposition charge that there was ‘leakage’ of the decision and said everyone was taken by surprise which is why there are ‘initial’ problems. 

“There is no politics in it. It is a step taken in national interest,” he said, adding the step will help the country in the long run. “If anyone has the strength to take on black money and corruption, it is the BJP government and Narendra Modi,” the minister said. He claimed that common people are out in support  of the government’s move which is aimed against graft and terror and that the step will lead to curbing inflation and tax rate may come down. 

Goyal claimed that the country has welcomed this initiative of the Modi government and it is natural that some people who have black money and are indulging in corruption and black money are worried about it. “ Desh me imandaar ka sam man hua hai aur be-imaan ka nuk saan hua hai, (The honest have been honoured and the dishonest have faced losses),” he said. 

“I am confident that public is understanding the initial problems because the decision was kept a secret. No honest tax-payer will lose a single rupee. The loss will be of those who have amassed wealth through corruption and black money and the public should also support the government in the move,” he said. Goyal said some pain and difficulty in the implementation of such a decision is inevitable but despite that the people have strongly supported the move. 

No action against Modi’s ‘friends’: Rahul Gandhi

Continuing his tirade against the government’s demonetisation move, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that no action was being taken against the ‘real black marketeers’ and the ‘industrialist friends’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Pledging solidarity with the common man’s sufferings, he also made an unscheduled brief stop at an ATM in suburban Vakola and interacted with the people standing in a queue there, while he was returning from Bhiwandi in neighbouring Thane district where a court granted him bail in a defamation case.  “Those who are real black marketeers, those who have Rs 10-20,000 crore, those who go with Modi in planes, action should be taken against them. No action is being taken. “There is no investigation or action taken against Modiji’s industrialist friends,” Rahul said.