Rallying around the government over the demonetisation issue as it faces attack from a united Opposition, top BJP leaders today asserted that there is wide spread support from people for the decision and the criticism is merely confined to rival parties.
Chairing a meeting of office-bearers, BJP president Amit Shah said here that the mandate the party has received is not for doing what merely looks good to people but to do what is good for them and hailed the note ban as a "visionary" step and a reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political will to change the fundamentals of Indian economy.
With little relief for people from standing in long queues outside banks and ATMs to get cash, BJP's rivals have closed ranks to target the government but its top leaders exuded confidence that they can sell the decision to masses as something that is in the country's interests.
"Demonetisation is a visionary decision of political will aimed at curbing black money and corruption. The parties criticising it are doing so out of political malice. But the mandate we have received is not for taking decisions which merely look good to people but which are good for them.
"We will not remain confined to small reforms but bring about fundamental changes in the economy," Shah told the meeting of office-bearers on a day when Parliament saw another day of washout with treasury benches and opposition trading charges.
A senior party leader quoted Shah as saying that it is imperative to kill parallel economy running on black money to boost the country's resources so that it can invest heavily in education, health and other sectors.
He also said that Indian youths should be holding many global patents and it can be done only with massive investment in education and research.
Its National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said the office-bearers, which included state in-charges, also shared ground feedback on demonetisation.
"People have appreciated the move and the feedback is very encouraging for the party. Villagers and farmers are happy. Its opposition is confined to out political rivals," he said following the meeting.
The party leaders also decided to push their awareness drive across the country on less cash transaction underpinned by digital mode of payment.
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Shah also took feedback from office-bearers over the action taken on organisational proposals mooted in the previous national executive meeting as BJP prepares for the next executive meeting to be held in the national capital in January.
He said demonetisation will have positive impact which will be visible in the times ahead.
He stressed on the need to take the awareness campaign over digital and mobile transactions to states.
