Modi, Rahul exchange angry ‘notes’ over note-ban at rallies

#Modi dares Congress to make a non-Gandhi party president for at least 5 years

17/11/2018

AMBIKAPUR/SAGAR, Nov 16: Prime Minister NarendraModi and Rahul Gandhi Friday engaged in a war of words over demonetisation, with the PM saying it "still rankles" the Congress, while the opposition party's chief labelled the move as the "biggest scam" of independent India.
Two years after the massive note-ban exercise, which saw overnight scrapping of the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bills, demonetisation continued to be a hot button topic with the BJP and Congress leaders regularly sparring over the move.
Addressing a rally ahead of the second phase of voting in Chhattisgarh on November 20, Modi claimed the people did not have issues with demonetisation, but "only a family".
The prime minister claimed the Congress was "worried" that he took away all the money its "minions and friends" had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.
"Something rankles them (Congress) in such a way that they are still not able to sleep...No one sitting here is crying. But only a family is crying," Modi told the gathering at Ambikapur. He said his government's fight against corruption would go on and those who had plundered public money "will have to return what they looted".
Modi said his government was investing the money recovered post-demonetisation on carrying out public works and funding welfare schemes.
Speaking at a rally in adjoining Madhya Pradesh, which goes to the polls on November 28, Gandhi launched a broadside against the prime minister over note-ban and accused him of "robbing" the hard-earned money of the poor and giving it to a few rich.
After the note ban exercise, which had rendered 86 per cent of the total currency in circulation invalid, Modi made honest and hardworking citizens stand in queues outside banks, he said, addressing the rally in Sagar district.
"He (Modi) allowed the rich like NiravModi, MehulChoksi, Vijay Mallya (all accused of financial frauds) to flee the country with your money and made you stand in queues outside banks. Time will prove how Modi had robbed you and gave your money to a few rich," he claimed.
Gandhi also claimed demonetisation had helped turn black money into white (legal).
"These days, Modi's speeches don't have any mention of (eradicating) corruption, a tall promise that he had made before coming to power," Gandhi charged.
Prime Minister NarendraModi on Friday challenged the Congress to make someone from outside the Gandhi family its chief for at least five years if it respected democracy, as he returned the Congress' barb that a 'chaiwala' could rise to power only because of democratic systems established by PanditJawahalLal Nehru.
In an apparent attack on Gandhis, Modi also said that the family whose "four generations ruled the country" cannot fathom how can the son of a poor mother could sit on the "rajgaddi" (throne).
Addressing a poll rally here in Surguja district for the second phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections scheduled for November 20, Modi also hit back at the Congress for questioning demonetisation, saying the move "still rankles" them as the money "stashed under beds and in sacks" was taken away in a single stroke.
While the BJP has been ruling Chhattisgarh for 15 continuous years, the Congress was in power in the state only for three years after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000. Traditionally, the two national parties have had a direct fight in this state, although a third force as emerged this time in form of an alliance between the parties of former Congress chief minister AjitJogi and of Dalit leader Mayawati.
Modi asked Congress to give account of what the four generations of the (Gandhi) family did for the nation before asking for an account of his government's four-and-half years' rule. "Four generations of the Congress ruled the counry, but they have nothing to tell the people. We are everyday giving an account of what we have done in the last four years," he said.
"They (Congress leaders) are saying it was due to a great person, due to Pandit Nehru, that a 'chaiwala' (tea seller) became the prime minister," Modi said.
"If you so much respect the democracy, do a small thing. If you claim that because of your principles, your faith in democracy, the Constitution and Pandit Nehru, Modi, a chaiwala, could become the PM, appoint someone good from outside the (Gandhi) family as the Congress president for just five years," he said.
"If this happens, I will accept that Nehru ji created such a democratic system because of which anyone, (even) a dedicated Congressman outside the family could become the Congress chief," he said.
Congress leader ShashiTharoor had said that it was due to the institutional structures created by Nehru that even a "chaiwala" could become India's prime minister. His party colleague MallikarjunKharge had also said earlier that a "chaiwala" could become the prime minister as the Congress preserved democracy.
SitaramKesri had served as the Congress president in the 1990s, but his tenure from September 1996 to March 1998 was less than five years.
Rahul Gandhi is currently president of the Congress party, while the post was held by his mother Sonia Gandhi before that. A Congress president mostly gets a three-year term, though there have been exceptions. Continuing his barbs at the Gandhi family, Modi said the "contract of democracy" in the country was not given to one family, but they felt the Britishers had named India after it.
"They still keep crying that how could a chaiwala sit (on the PM's chair). How could he? They still cannot fathom how come the son of a poor mother could sit on the throne" he said.
Stating that such people cannot understand difficulties faced by the poor, but a chaiwala can, he said the credit for making a 'chaiwala' the prime minister goes to 125 crore Indians and not to Modi or the BJP.
The PM also took on Rahul Gandhi for attacking him over demonetisation, saying only one "family" is "crying" over the note-ban exercise.
"No one from those sitting here (in the rally) is crying over demonetisation, but only one family is crying. Their (Gandhis) associates lost their illegally earned money filled in bags, hidden inside their bed and pillow after demonetisation," the prime minister said.
Modi also said Chhattisgarh was created peacefully during the tenure of Prime Minister AtalBihari Vajpayee, in contrast to violence during agitations for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh under the Congress rule.
He said the BJP is the only unbiased party and it is guided by the mantra of 'SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas', while the Congress kept the country in dark with lies that are ingrained in their minds.
He also hailed the high voter turnout in the first phase of polling held in the state on November 12 for 18 seats, which covered Maoist-affected constituencies, saying the people of Bastar gave a strong response to Naxals by registering record voting percentage in the first phase.
Despite threats given by Naxals to chop off fingers of those who will vote, tribals came out in large numbers to vote, he said.
Modi urged voters of the remaining 72 assembly seats to show the same enthusiasm in the second phase on November 20. Counting of votes for both phases would be held on December 11. He said election offers the best opportunity to "punish" those who think it is the right of only one family to rule the country.
"When I had come to Ambikapur during last LokSabha elections, people had made a replica of Red Fort for my rally which annoyed a few people in Delhi as they thought it was the right of only one family to speak from Red Fort. They are still angry with you for that and the time has arrived to punish them," Modi said.

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