Demonetisation: BJP questions Oppn motive behind uproar

New Delhi: Taking a swipe at the Opposition parties, including the Congress, BSP and  SP, BJP president Amit Shah on Friday wondered why leaders, including Congress, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP’s Mayawati and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal have joined ranks with those dealing in  black money, fake currency, hawala and drug, who are  rattled by the government’s decision. Mr Shah claimed that with this decision, the government has taken its war against black money to a decisive level.

Asserting that rival parties have exposed themselves by criticising the Centre’s move, Mr Shah said though people are facing inconvenience but whenever “a big change is made, some inconvenience happens.”

Mr Shah insisted that the government’s move had nothing to do with the impending Assembly polls, but said that the BJP will benefit politically going by the reactions of opposition parties.

“I can understand the pain of those keeping black money, fake currency, terrorists, hawala operators, Naxalites and drug dealers with this decision. What has amazed me is the way some political parties are rattled...I want to ask Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati, Rahul Gandhi (Congress vice president) and Arvind Kejriwal as to why you are so rattled? If politics become cleaner with a measure and black money is taken out of electoral politics, then why should it pain political parties,” he said.

Mr Shah challenged political parties to face the polls with the issue and said “People will decide.” He said while opposition always questioned the Modi government over black money but now when it has given such a hard blow to black money, they are rattled.

“What is the problem of these four parties? They have exposed themselves and shown their true faces,” Mr Shah said.

When asked about BSP supremo’s charge that the move amounted to “economic emergency”, he said it has caused economic emergency in her party BSP.

“All patriots, the common man, tax payers... Have welcomed the move. I want to make it clear that no tax payer needs to worry and the government will protect the interests of the poor, farmers, labourers, small traders,” Mr Shah said.