PM BRANDS NOTE RECALL CRITICS ‘WORSHIPPERS OF BLACK MONEY’

BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at the opponents of demonetisation, dubbing them “worshippers of black money”, launching the offensive a day after he asked the BJP brass to ignore allegations and embrace criticism.

With five states going to polls from February, the BJP plans to showcase the government’s decision to recall `500 and `1,000 banknotesasapro-poormeasureaimed at cleaning the Indian economy.

“Black money and corruption kept eroding our politics, society and country from inside. It is unfortunate that a few political worshippers (rajnaitik poojari) of black money are opposing the government’s efforts and painting them as anti-people,” Modi told a gathering of the Indian diaspora in Bengaluru.

Delivering the keynote address at the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Bengaluru, Modi said his government was committed in its fight against corruption and thanked the overseas Indian community for its support.

The Opposition has accused Modi of unleashing chaos by scrapping the two bills that accounted for 86% of the currency in circulation. Millions of people were forced to queue up for cash for hours following the November 8 announcement. The BJP’s rivals in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will make a poll issue of the inconvenience caused to the people.

The currency cull has slowed down the economy that has hit farmers and those living in rural areas particularly hard, the Opposition says. The move has helped the dishonest in turning black money to white.

Rivals were quick to hit back on Sunday, saying Modi’s speech was not supported by facts.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not relinquish captaincy of India’s limitedovers teams but was nudged by the selectors into making the “bombshell announcement” — they told him his time at the helm was over, sources said.

The Indian cricket board announced on Wednesday that the double World Cup-winning skipper had decided to step down as the captain of the one-day and Twenty20 sides but would continue playing.

However, sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told HT that Dhoni did not step down on his own.