You can operate when body is healthy: PM Modi on note ban
Defending demonetisation, PM Narendra Modi has said, "When can you have an operation? When the body is healthy." Modi said since the economy was in strong condition, timing of demonetisation was "the best". "I am taking such decisions which are hurting big people and because of that I am going to face problems. I am ready for that," he added.
Defending his decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the best time to launch demonetisation is when the economy is in good shape. "Since the economy was in strong condition, the timing of demonetisation was the best," Modi said in Lok Sabha during his reply to the Motion of Thanks on President Pranab Mukherjee's address. "When can you have an operation? When the body is healthy. The economy was doing well and thus our decision was taken at the right time," he said."Like Swachh Bharat, the decision on demonetisation is a movement to clean India (from corruption and black money)," Modi said today."I am taking such decisions which are hurting big people and because of that I am going to face problems. I am ready for that." he said.Modi's defence of demonetisation, however, runs counter to many top economists, who had protested the decision when the Indian economy was doing well. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also a renowned economist, had called demonetisation a "monumental mismanagement" and "organised loot and legalised plunder". Development economist Jean Dreze had used a racing analogy. "Demonetisation in a booming economy is like shooting at the tyres of a racing car," he had said.On November 8 last year, Modi, in a televised address, announced the banning of high currency notes - a decision he said was aimed at checking black money and terror funding. The decision triggered massive protest from the Opposition and chaos outside banks and ATMs across the country following the massive cash crunch. There are also allegations of over a 100 deaths due to demonetisation.In his speech, Modi also attacked the Congress over the role of "one family" in the freedom struggle and said they had neglected the contribution of others. "There are many people like me who couldn't die for the nation during the freedom struggle but we are living for India and serving India," Modi said during the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's address. "Somewhere on the way, 'Jan Shakti' (people power) was forgotten and we don't accept this," he said. "I never heard them speak about the role of Chandrasekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh and many other freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the country," Modi said."They think the country got independence only due to one family," Modi said in an apparent attack on the Nehru dynasty. He said India had to be taken to newer heights. "Faith in Jan Shakti will give results."Also read:PM Narendra Modi LIVE in Parliament: They don't want demonetisation debate because I gain from itPM Modi knows why Uttarakhand earthquake happened. And it has a Rahul Gandhi connectionGandhis died for the nation... Not even a dog from your house: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's outburst in Parliament