NEW DELHI: Continuing to attack the opposition parties for campaigning against the currency ban, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the corrupt were upset while the poor are enjoying a sound sleep. He continued to urge the people to bear the inconvenience so that black money can be rooted out. “The poor are enjoying a sound sleep while the rich are running pillar to post to buy sleeping pills,” he said in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. Referring to his chai-wallah days, Modi said his justice was a little ‘khadak’ (strong) like the tea he used to make.
Attacking the Congress for its criticism of demonetisation and the subsequent inconvenience caused to the public, Modi compared it to the Emergency. “Under what law did they ban the chavanni,” he asked referring to the Congress banning the 25 paise coins. “It is another thing that they could not move beyond the chavanni. You took the step as per your stature and we did what matched ours,” he said. Even as he mocked the Emergency imposed during the Indira Gandhi regime, he invoked Jawaharlal Nehru to say he was working on the similar lines for the development of people.
“You are no more. Leaders from your party and family are levelling false allegations. Still, on your birthday, I am starting work to complete your unfulfilled desire for development of the nation.” Addressing rumours that savings of housewives were being taken away, Modi said that anything lesser than `2.5 lakh ‘would not be touched’.
Without naming, Modi also attacked BSP chief Mayawati who had strongly attacked the move. “They used to get huge garlands of notes under which their face got hidden,” he said. “Whenever we do something new it gives some pain but the intention should be good.”
The Prime Minister also met with the BJP Parliamentarians later in the evening and assured them that the ‘country was with the government’. “Everyone agreed that it is a historic decision. The BJP leaders from across the country said that there is an overwhelming support for the government’s bold move to fight black money and corruption,” Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said.