Rajnath Singh: Note ban targets terror, has got Pak worried

Terming the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as an “attack on terrorism”, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said it has got Pakistan “worried”. The minister also said the demonetisation of higher currency notes is a step towards making the country an “economic super power”.

“Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes give strength to those patronising terrorism... Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken away this strength by banning these notes. Fake Indian currency notes are printed in Pakistan and circulated in the country to destroy its economy,” Mr Singh said at BJP’s “parivartan yatra” held in the poll-bound state.

“Yesterday was a historic moment and with the ban on these notes, a surgical strike has been conducted on corruption. This can create inconvenience for a few days, but this is certainly going to help the country in becoming an economic superpower,” he said here and claimed that “poor are happy” with the decision.

Mr Singh said Pakistan was “worried” about the development. On US elections, Rajnath noted that the President-elect Donald Trump had appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies.

“During US presidential election Donald Trump had said that he would work on politics of Mr Modi. Now he has become the President. We should feel proud,” the home minister said.

He said Mr Modi had invited heads of different countries, including Pakistan, not just for “shaking hands” but to give them a message “of connection through hearts”.

“This initiative was not felt by Pakistan. For improving relations, Modi had accepted telephonic invitation of his counterpart Nawaz Sharif and visited Pakistan but it did not mend its ways,” the home minister said.