Demonetisation snatched pro-poor plank from opposition: BJP

Projecting demonetisation in a big way with an eye on the coming assembly polls, BJP President Amit Shah today asserted that the party has snatched the "pro-poor" plank of Congress and other parties and claimed that the poor was now backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Making it apparent that demonetisation along with the surgical strikes across the LoC will be two major campaign issues for the party, Shah described them as "historic", claiming that the note ban decision would result in more revenues that would be spent on pro-poor welfare measures.
In his inaugural address to the party's national executive, he targeted the rivals criticising demonetisation, saying they used to earlier question what the government has done against black money and now they are asking why it took such a decision.

"Their shift from what to why has exposed them," he said, asserting that BJP will win the polls in all five states-- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
Referring to the party's last national executive meeting held in Kozhikode in September, he said its leaders then had felt the pain of Uri terror attacks as he highlighted the two "historic" decisions of the government afterwards.
"For the first time India carried out such a surgical strike. The whole world appreciated India's strength. It was an example of great bravery. This surgical strike is India's answer to terrorism. BJP always spoke about its policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and has now acted accordingly.

"Demonetisation was also a brave and historic decision. People voted for us not merely to run the country but to turn it around and change the poor's fate. They wanted us to start welfare schemes for the poor and do more for them. That is why people have appreciated it and the poor backing it," he said.

Claiming that various surveys have shown overwhelming public support to the exercise, he said it has rattled the opposition.
"Opposition has been exposed and does not know what to do as the poor, who for historical reasons shown preference for a few parties, are now backing Modi and BJP and the pro-poor plank has been snatched from the hands of these parties," Shah said.

The members of BJP parliamentary board joined the top
party leaders on dais to hail Modi for his historic decisions while the national executive gave him a standing ovation.
With Opposition wondering as to how much black money has been unearthed by demonetisation as reports have surfaced that most of the old currency in circulation has been deposited in banks, Shah said it has accounted for all the money in circulation, resulting in more tax collections and revenue.
"All the results of demonetisation are good. It will stop tax evasion... More money will be spent on welfare schemes," he said.

"Such decisions should be taken which do good to people and not only look good. We feel the people's pain but if something is good for the country in long term, then it may cause some immediate difficulty too. What is clear from surveys carried out after November 8 is that over 75 per cent of people support it," he said.
The demonetisation decision was not "abrupt", he contended, arguing that the government was in "active mode" against black money since it took over in 2014.
He referred to decisions like enactment of law to check 'benami' assets and revision in double tax avoidance treaties with countries seen as safe tax havens besides Jan Dhan scheme to assert that the government had been working for the last two and a half years to curb black money and corruption.

The push to digitisation and less cash economy will also result in bigger tax collection, he said, adding for the past 10 years the actual budget allocation on developmental needs was anywhere between Rs 4.10 lakh crore to Rs 4.70 lakh crore, which was not enough.
Javadekar claimed that demonetisation has hit fake currency trade so hard that a linchpin of the illicit business committed suicide in Pakistan.
Referring to local polls held in various states after demonetisation, Shah said BJP had won over 8,000 seats out of a total of 10,000 which, he asserted, underlined the nationwide support for it.

The BJP chief also referred to Modi's sops for the poor and senior citizens in his recent address to the nation.
Referring to the upcoming elections, he said people in UP will vote against the poor law and order, land grab and corruption and for the development agenda of BJP.
In Punjab, things have undergone a sea change, he said, apparently referring to the early grim forecast for the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and recent reports that it has staged a recovery.
He also targeted the Congress government in Manipur, blaming it for blockade and said it will be voted out. He gave a call for a 'bandh-mukt' and 'vikas-yukt' Manipur.

With an eye on 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Shah said over 2,000 party workers will be spending a year in those Lok Sabha seats where the BJP-led NDA had lost in 2014.
Batting for simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls besides reforms in poll funding, Javadekar said the party has formed a committee in this regard.
Shah in his address sought support from various parties for these reforms.
Targeting the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, he said it is standing by the corrupt who have looted thousands of crores of rupees from the people while BJP is with the common man.

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Shah highlighted the party's expansion and organisational activities during the year when it celebrated the birth centenary of its ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay.
He said that responding to the Prime Minister's call, more than 2,031 party workers will stay for almost one year in the Lok Sabha constituencies which NDA lost in 2014 and will work for the party there as a tribute to Deendayal Upadhyay.
And as many as more than 1.60 lakh party workers will dedicate 15 days for the part work, Shah said.