A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from his three-day trip to Japan, he made an emotional appeal to the people asking them to give him 50 days time and said, "I will give you the India you desired".
Modi said it was "a secret operation I started 10 months back and had formed a small team".
Since last week, there have been long queues at banks, ATMs of cash starved people after Modi on November 8 announced demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.
Upping his ante against corruption, Modi said his next target will be benami property and gold.
Here are the key takeaways from Modi's speech:
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# I am not born for the chair (not greedy for power). I have left my village, my family for the sake of the country.
# This suffering is only for 50 days. Once there is cleanliness (swachhata), not even a mosquito can fly. .... This is a 70-year old disease and I have to remove it in 17 months. I will expose corruption going on since Independence; even if I have to employ 1 lakh youths for this, I will do it.
# This (demonetisation) is not an end. I have more projects in mind to make India corruption-free. .... We will take action against 'benami' property. This is major step to eradicate corruption and black money ... If any money that was looted in India and has left Indian shores, it is our duty to find out about it.
# Cooperate with me and help me for 50 days and I will give you the India you desired.
# They thought if they pull my hair, I will stop and do nothing. I will not be cowed down. I will not stop doing these things, even if you burn me alive.
# We will take action against 'benami' property; This is major step to eradicate corruption and black money... We are going to take action against the properties which are purchased in the name of others (benami). That is the property of the country. My government feels that it is our responsibility to help the poor and I will do it.
# I know that (some) forces are up against me, they may not let me live, they may ruin me because their loot of 70 years is in trouble, but I am prepared.
# I am doing what I was asked to do by the people of this country and it had become clear from the very first meeting of my Cabinet when I formed the SIT (on blackmoney). We never kept the people in dark.
# If you find anything wrong with my intentions or my actions, hang me in public. I promise you I will give you the India which you desired. If someone faces problem, I also feel the pain. I understand their problem but this is only for 50 days and after 50 days we succeed in this cleanising.
# We collected Rs 67,000 crore under amnesty scheme. But in the last two years, through raids, surveys and declarations, the government has collected Rs 1,25,000 crore in its exchequer ... I kept on administering small doses of medicine to improve the economic situation of the country since I came to power.
# There won't be any tax on your money; your money, this country, banks and Modi are yours.