New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Indira Gandhi rejected suggestions for demonetisation in 1971, saying she wanted to win elections, but that resulted in poor economic condition in the country.
Alleging that Indira Gandhi sold out India by ignoring advice to demonetise, Prime Minister Modi said, "She told her finance minister Y.B. Chavan: are no more elections to be fought by Congress?"
Stressing that the implementation of demonetisation policy was required in 1971, but it was implemented now, the Prime Minister, hitting out at the opposition at the BJP Parliamentary Party meet, said, "For the Congress, party is bigger than nation; but for us, the nation is above the party."
As the nation observed Vijay Diwas on Friday, offering respect to the soldiers, who laid down their lives during the 1971 India-Pakistan war that resulted in the birth of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Modi said "The opposition in 1971 did not ask for a proof of the army's valour, but today's opposition does."
Meanwhile, Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari urged all leaders in the Rajya Sabha to introspect on the distinction between dissent, disruption and agitation.
Prime Minister Modi earlier on Friday urged the nation to embrace digital payment methods to ensure that corruption and black money is rooted out of the country.
A delegation of Congress leaders gave a memorandum to Prime Minister Modi to demand relief for debt-ridden farmers.
The Winter Session of Parliament has been a washout with both sides not permitting the other to speak.
While the opposition accused the government of being insensitive to the common man, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dug up AgustaWestland matter to charge the Congress.
Modi further criticised the opposition for demanding the proof of a Surgical Strike carried out by the Indian armed forces that dismantled seven terror launch pads across the border on September 28-29 as retaliation to the Uri terror attack.
Stating that demonetisation is the first step to curb black money and corruption, but not the last, the Prime Minister said, "Corruption is our main target and it will not be long before normalcy returns after the 50-day period."
He also thanked Chief Ministers of Odisha and Bihar for supporting demonetisation.
