BJP president Amit Shah on Friday asserted that demonetisation has exposed rival political parties who are criticising the Government’s initiative. The BJP also mocked Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to a bank in Parliament Street to exchange currency, saying it only underlined the success of the Government’s demonetisation move as ‘privileged dynasties’ will now have to queue up and follow the law.
Shah said while he understands why dealers of black money, fake currency, hawala and drug peddlers are perturbed by the demonetisation of high value currency notes, he cannot make out why leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati and Arvind Kejriwal were joining the list of such people.
“I want to ask Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal, why are you so rattledIJ If politics becomes cleaner with a measure and black money is taken out of electoral politics, then why should it pain political parties,” he said.
Even though the BJP chief said that the Government’s move had nothing to do with the impending Assembly polls in five States, including Uttar Pradesh, he maintained that the BJP will benefit politically if one goes by the reactions of Opposition parties.
Shah said the Government is pained at the inconvenience caused to the people and the BJP sympathises with them.
To a question about long queues at banks as people rush to change scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, he said the move will strengthen the economy.
“All patriots, the common man, taxpayers... have welcomed the move. I want to make it clear that no taxpayer needs to worry and the Government will protect the interests of the poor, farmers, labourers and small traders,” the BJP president said.
When it was pointed out that the Opposition parties were claiming to voice concerns of inconvenienced people, he said, “The demonetisation move will do no harm to the poor, but some political parties have become poor.”
He dismissed the charge of Opposition parties that BJP leaders and those close to the party were informed in advance, saying only constitutional authorities and those related to the administrative measures were aware.
“BJP has no illicit money. We periodically submit our accounts with the Election Commission,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BJP mocked Rahul’s visit to a bank here for exchanging currency notes as a Rs photo opportunity.’
Taking a swipe at Rahul, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said had he queued up in the Congress Party and allowed the fittest to rule, then his party would have been better off.
“Those born into dynasties lived under the impression that they were born to rule. They never stood in a queue. Succession to positions of power was a birthright. Rahul Gandhi never stood in a queue to become the leader of his party. He superseded men of greater experience and competence merely because dynasties do not queue up,” he said.
Attacking Rahul over his visit to the bank, Javadekar said he wanted to create a scene by standing in a queue.