Women's Ornaments Not Black Money, But Security: KCR

In what is being seen as a change from his month-long stance on demonetization, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao today said that he would launch a movement against the Centre if it attempted to seize or even touch assets including gold from women in the name of measures against black money post-demonetization.

Giving his response on the impact of demonetization in a debate in the Legislative Council, the Chief Minister said that the Centre should seize black money in the form of gold biscuits and others, foreign currency, benami assets and others. However he would not keep quiet if the Centre attempted to seize gold or other ornaments from women, as they usually got their ornaments as inheritance from their families. If the Centre tried to take away their security assets, Telangana would launch another movement, he warned.

KCR said that he filed an affidavit about the gold he possessed in 1985, and now he had three gold rings and a chain while his wife Shobha had about 50 to 60 tolas of gold. And there were some silver ornaments and utensils in prayer room of his house, he claimed and added that such possessions meant for the security of family shouldn't be considered as black money.

"I have informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the types of gold and ornaments women in Telangana wear, and the reasons behind holding such possessions" he said and exuded confidence in the PM of understanding the same.

Promising that he would not support or oppose demonetization blindly, KCR said that Modi took a brave but unprecedented decision, and no Prime Minister in India had ever dared to make such a move. Telangana should support Modi and believe that the problem would be settled in 50 days.