Stating that demonetising currency notes of Rs 500 and 1000 would help curb the menace of terrorism, Union Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh today said there were inputs that to fund and fuel terrorism in the country money used to flow from unknown sources.
"The decision (to demonetise Rs 500/1000 currency notes) is very important and at times such inputs have been received that to fund and fuel terrorism, money flow came from unknown sources and some people had to say that in Pakistan they don't publish as much of their own currency as much they publish Indian currency," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a RSS function here today.
On reports that people were facing hardships while standing in long queues outside ATMs and banks to withdraw the money, Singh said that people of the country have welcomed the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite facing little hardships.
"I don't feel there is anything like this, the countrymen are fully cooperating, and the people who are standing in long queues say that though they face little hardships but they want to contribute as they are satisfied with the decision taken by the prime minister as they are convinced that the decision has been taken in the larger interest of the country and its economy," Singh said.
He said the decision has been taken to strengthen the security and the economy of the country.
"I feel the Finance minister has clarified it and has said that slowly the situation will improve and the satisfying fact is that despite facing some little bit of hardships people are contributing," he said.
He said that the entire country unanimously feel that this decision was need of the hour and the entire county stands behind it.
On a question regarding the unaccounted funding of the separatists in Kashmir he said that the step would put a full stop on the unaccounted source of income (of separatists).
On the allegations levelled by BSP supremo Mayawati and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav that the decision was not in the interest of the country, Singh said that such allegations were levelled by the people who were worried about how to take care of their own money.
"These type of allegations are levelled by people who are worried how to take care of their money, BJP is a cadre based party and every decision is taken after due consideration which in favour of the nation," he said.
Singh said that the people of the country should decide whether the decision was right or wrong.
On a question regarding the situation on the
International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said that the situation was a mater of concern.
"Definitely, whenever our soldier attains martyrdom it is a matter of concern, the life of a soldier is priceless and the human rights of the soldiers are more important and it is because of them as they are guarding the borders that we are living peacefully and the country is indebted to them," he said.
Singh said the government and the society have the responsibility to think about the soldiers.
On the situation in Kashmir he said that change was fast coming in the situation of Kashmir.
"We are witness to the fact change is coming and the satisfying thing is that the common people of Kashmir now wants to come out of the problem and the situation and the youth is coming out and wants to open the school.
The youth have realised that the separatists who motivate them to burn the school or throw stones have made sure that their own children get education in best schools and live in peaceful life", he said.
When asked how much black money the government is expected to recover by demonetising the old currency notes Singh, "It is not easy to quantify this in figure at the time being... Such a decision can be taken by only a government which has less to hide and more to show, this decision was not possible by the government which had more to hide and less to show," he said.
