More Stringent Measures From Jan 1: BJP

Union Information Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as Prime Minister, gave good governance by implementing various welfare schemes to cater to the basic needs of the people in villages and towns.

Claiming that true Indians would not be disturbed by the note ban, he hinted at more stringent laws to take on the corrupt and those with unaccountable money, after January 1.

The ban was not intended to put people through hardships, but only to encourage digital transactions and take on black money, tax evaders and terrorism, he promised.

Participating in a program organized by Telangana BJP to mark the birth anniversary of A B Vajpayee, he said the current regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came up with demonetization to remove financial inequalities in the nation.

The aim of demonetization was not to remove cash but to encourage digital transactions, and the black money seized would be used for providing housing and welfare to the people in the nation, he remarked.

The Vajpayee regime had encouraged reforms and focused on providing better road connectivity, telephones to every village and linking of National Highways, railways and airports for achieving the goal of rapid growth, the Union Minister said.

He refuted the allegations that the Modi government was favouring the Adanis and Ambanis, and claimed that the previous Congress regime had given Rs. 1.80 lakh crores to these two companies.

He pointed out that banning the two currency bills gave positive results in Kashmir as stone pelting, drug supply and infiltration by terrorists came to a sudden halt.