New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday replied in the Rajya Sabha to the Motion Thanks on the President’s address.
"The fight against corruption is not a fight against any political party. We can’t deny that our country is facing a problem. We can’t deny that our system has been affected and that is why we took up the fight against corruption," Modi said addressing the Upper House.
"The poor in this country have been worst affected due to a parallel economy. I am not saying that older governments haven’t taken steps to tackle this problem, but we have to continue taking steps and will continue to take more steps. How long can we brush corruption under the carpet?" Modi questioned.
“Former bureaucrat Madhav Godbole in a book wrote that in 1971, then-PM Indira Gandhi was advised by the Finance Minister to demonetise, but she rejected the idea. You are showing so much zeal now. Why did you not sue Madhav Godbole?” Modi asked Congress leader Anand Sharma.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday had issued a whip to its Rajya Sabha members asking them to remain present in the House for Modi's reply.
BJP has issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha members to remain present in the House for next two days, party sources said.
BJP has 56 MPs against Congress's 60 in the 245-member Upper House.
Prime Minister Modi replied in Lok Sabha to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address which was adopted by the House later amid a walkout by Congress on Tuesday.
He asserted that the timing for demonetisation was the best as the economy was doing well and needled Congress by questioning its record with regard to various issues.
Modi, who has been under sustained attack from Congress and other opposition parties, gave reasons for the first time for the timing of the decision to scrap notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 in November last year.
