Opposition parties criticise Modi’s address

THE DELHI Confidential report ‘Crisscrossing India’ stated that the Prime Minister will be in Patna Sahib on January 5 to attend the 350th Prakash Parv in memory of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. The description of the event is incorrect. It is being held to celebrate the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. The error is regretted. OPPOSITION PARTIES criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation with the Congress, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee questioning his credibility. Kejriwal said that Modi sounds hollow now and argued people have stopped believing him. Banerjee dismissed the address as a budget speech while Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said Modi crossed limits of in-sensitiveness.

“We expected the prime minister to announce a comprehensive road map for revival of economy, but he has failed,’’ Surjewala said. “The country expected that the prime minister would announce lifting of restrictions on withdrawal of money but the country is disappointed.so no deadline, only headline.’’ He added that the speech had promises but no intent: “He speaks a lot, but no action.” Surjewala pointed out that the support for pregnant women was part of the National Food Security Act.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the Prime Minister raised sundry things that have nothing to do with demonetisation. “What was the purpose of today’s speech? It is once again clear that he is scared of answering questions. We had raised specific peoples’ questions which have not been referred to,’’ he said.

“Nothing substantial has been addressed. This reads like a budget speech that should be read out by the finance minister in Parliament. Tax proposals and allocations can only happen in Parliament and announcing proposals like this on TV is meaningless.’’

Yechury wondered whether Modi did not know the amount of money that has come back into the system or the total that has been put into the system after November 8. “Why is he scared of giving those facts? What is there to hide? If all money has come in, has black money been made white and if more has come in, has counterfeit currency also been absorbed and turned legitimate?’’

CPI leader D Raja said the Prime Minister, who has all along been saying that the people are happy, has finally acknowledged their pain. “He has not told the country and the people what the government achieved through demonetisation and how much black money and fake currency the government unearthed,” he said.

“He has not uttered a word on black money stashed away in foreign banks. He has not uttered a word about NPAS, willful default by corporate houses. He has announced a number of schemes which need budgetary support. What (Finance Minister) Arun Jaitley is going to do we do not know. Prime Minister has taken over part of Arun Jaitley’s job. He has announced schemes.’’

He said that the Prime Minister referred to kisan, Dalit, poor, adivasi and all and added this was done keeping in view elections in crucial states. “People cannot be hoodwinked by such rhetoric. And he talks about one nation, one election..it is also a diversionary tactic. People will see through this, all this.’’

Banerjee said that Modi deviated from actual agenda of black money and demonetisation. “The Prime Minister just took over the post of finance minister and made pre-budget speech,” she tweeted. She dubbed the demonetisation exercise a big failure and argued that the government had “snatched” the common man’s financial rights.

Kejriwal said that the Prime Minister was working to destroy his party’s electoral prospects. “He has become a subject of ridicule internationally,” the Aam Aadmi Party chief said. Kejriwal said that the Prime Minister is working towards a Bjp-free India and not a Congress-free India. He said that people hate the BJP to such an extent now that they will not vote for it for at least 20 years.