Mumbai: Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for pulling former PM Mrs Indira Gandhi into the demonetisation debate, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday pointed out that even premiers after her, including BJP’s own Atal Bihari Vajpayee, did not take the decision to ban notes.
Mr Modi on Friday commented that Mrs Gandhi had overlooked a suggestion for demonetisation in 1971 by the then finance minister, Y.B. Chavan. Reacting to the same, Mr Pawar told media persons that Mr Modi was trying to project himself as a bigger leader than Mrs Gandhi by making such a statement. “According to him (Modi), Mrs Gandhi did not go in for demonetisation as suggested by her finance minister, Chavan. So, even PMs after her, including Vajpayee, and finance minister in the BJP regime, Yashwant Sinha, or the then deputy PM L.K. Advani did not take such a decision,” Pawar said.
The NCP leader also stepped down from his post as president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) by tendering his resignation. Mr Pawar, in his resignation letter, said, “The Supreme Court has taken a decision that officials above 70 years of age should not remain in cricket bodies. This decision is applicable to me.
