Against the backdrop of a raging debate over demonetisation and allegations of Rs leakage of information’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked BJP MPs, Ministers and MlAs to submit their bank account statements between November 8, the day he announced the demonetisation, and December 31, to party president Amit Shah “to set an example in transparency”.
Addressing BJP Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi, Modi rejected the criticism that the Bill to amend the Income Tax Act, passed in the lok Sabha on Tuesday, will help turn black money into white and said the new provisions will channel the money “looted from the poor” for their welfare.
The amended Act, he said, is a programme for the poor’s welfare from lok Kalyan Marg, the new name of Race Course Road where the Prime Minister’s residence is located.
“The amendment is not for turning black money into white but to spend the money looted from the poor on their welfare,” said the PM, adding, “I will not allow the country to be weighed down by wads of currency notes (black money).”
Briefing newspersons later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the Bill was part of his Government’s fight against black money. A part of the tax collected on the money deposited under this scheme will be spent on electricity, roads, toilets and education among other basic infrastructure projects, he said.
The Prime Minister asked all BJP Ministers, MPs and State legislatures to submit the account of their bank transactions from November 8 to December 30 to make everything transparent.
A power point presentation was made in the meeting to detail ways to transform in digital economy which would be “transparent and efficient” with “less financial cost”, said Kumar
Modi also sought everybody’s support in his effort to usher in digital and mobile economy, and push the society towards cashless transactions.
Power Minister Piyush Goyal also made a presentation on mobile and internet money transactions.
At the meeting, Amit Shah told party MPs to motivate traders in panchayats, municipalities and other local bodies falling in their constituency to shift to cashless transactions.
Shah said the party is not in power to “enjoy its fruits” but to solve problems facing the country and asked leaders to counter the Opposition’s “disinformation” on demonetisation.
The BJP Parliamentary Party also congratulated its Maharashtra unit on its win in local polls, which have been projected as an evidence of popular support to demonetisation.
To make a point that the country is eventually moving towards digital and mobile economy, staff in Prime Minister’s office was trained Monday and the same was followed by different ministers. All the party men were also asked to carry forward the digitalization move in economy in their respective areas.