Just the beginning, not the end: Modi on note ban

New Delhi: With the Opposition relentlessly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the “hardship” and “incovenience” faced by citizens following his demonetisation move, Mr Modi has decided to go directly to the people and seek their views. The PMO on Tuesday listed 10 questions that are available through the Narendra Modi App. Asking the people for their views, Mr Modi tweeted: “I want your firsthand view on the decision taken regarding currency notes. Take part in the survey on the NM App.” The PM also made it clear that the war against black money by the demonetisation move was “just the beginning, and not the end”.

It was also a day when the PM turned emotional yet again. Addressing a BJP parliamentary party meeting in the morning, his eyes turned moist, he removed his glasses, took out his handkerchief and apparently wiped tears. responding to the criticism over the demonetisation move, and said in a choked voice: “Mein naa apne liye aaya naa apno ke liye... mein garibon ke liye aaya hoon... garibon ka kalyaan kar ke rahoonga (I have not come for myself, not for my family... I have come for the poor and I will work for their welfare)”.

Responding to the Opposition’s charge that people were facing trouble following the demonetisation, Mr Modi felt the response to his decision among ordinary people was “positive”, and then said that “whenever there’s a systematic change, there’s hardship. But people’s support for the decision was beyond my expectation.” The PM also promised a “new India in the new year”.

That he was not pleased with some BJP leaders who had compared the demonetisation with the surgical strike against terrorists in Pakistan became evident as the PM said that “though the surgical strike as a great work... it cannot be compared to the demonetisation”.

While his political rivals accused him of having taken the decision unilaterally, without consulting anyone, Mr Modi claimed he had been “transparent”. He said: “I never did anything surreptitiously. If you remember, I had talked of a cahsless economy in my Mann ki Baat in September.” He also urged his partymen not to take the Opposition too seriously. “Forget what they are saying. They had also criticised the surgical strike, but looking at the people’s reaction, they retreated.”

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The 10 questions that he has posed to the people of India include, for example, whether black money exists in the country and needs to be fought, to whether the move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes was a “great move”, “good move” or “will make no difference”.

There were also posers on whether the demonetisation would help curb black money, corruption and terrorism; on whether it would bring real estate, higher education and healthcare within the common man’s reach. One of the questions asked was: “Did you mind the inconvenience faced in our fight to curb corruption, black money, terrorism and counterfeiting of currency?” The possible responses being “not at all”, “somewhat, but it was worth it”, and “yes”.

There was also a question, with a “yes” and “no” option, that asked: “Do you believe some anti-corruption activists are now actually fighting in support of black money, corruption & terrorism?”

Later on Tuesday, the Prime Minister again attacked his political rivals for criticising the demonetisation move, and lamented that moral values had degraded to such an extent that people in public life were brazenly supporting corruption and black money. Speaking at the release of a book on late BJP leader Kedarnath Sahni, Mr Modi also took a swipe at the Congress over the situation that had prevailed following Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984, when he recalled how Mr Sahni gave shelter to many Sikh families at his home during the anti-Sikh riots.

“Values in public life are eroding... I see people in public life are giving speeches in support of corruption and black money. They are brazenly out in the open doing so. In any country, erosion in values is the biggest crisis. The coming generations will not forgive those betraying values... Why should we accept corruption and black money as a part of the system. We have to think about the future,” he said.