PANAJI
In a bid to reach out to the common man, facing hardships on account of his demonetising move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone for the Mopa airport pleading for patience as he attempts to rid the country of the scourge of black money.
Modi, who appeared jet-lagged, only having arrived from Japan the previous night, turned emotional as he said his fight was against the enemy including the enemy within.
“I have left behind house, family… everything for the sake of the country,” Modi said choking back tears.
“I know what kind of powers I have taken on. I know the kind of people who will be against me now. I am looting what they had accumulated over 70 years. They will not leave me alive. They will destroy me. Let them do what they want. Fifty days help me. The country should just help me for 50 days,” Modi said, in his nearly 45-minute long speech.
“This is not the end. This is not full stop. I am openly saying, this is not full stop. There are other projects in my mind to stop dishonesty and corruption in the country. These projects are coming. I am doing this for the poor, honest people for those who are working hard to survive. So that they can get their own home, their children get good education and so that their parents get care,” Modi also said.
In his first speech after announcing the move at 8 pm on November 8, the Prime Minister also took potshots at the opposition for only criticizing the government move.
“Those who were involved in mega scams are today lining up outside banks and ATMs,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister’s rhetoric was greeted with sloganeering and cheers and at times standing ovations as BJP karyakartas who had filled the stadium lapped up every word the prime minister spoke.
Modi said his decision, which was taken after a “secret operation” which lasted for nearly ten months, was a part of a series of ‘doses’ which he was administering to cure the country’s economic system.
Modi said people should not have been surprised with the demonetisation decision, as he had been vocal and frank about his campaign against black money and corruption in the run up to 2014 polls.
“Did you not ask me to work against black money? If you had asked me to do it, should I have done it or not? You tell me, if you had asked me, then you would have imagined that there would be some inconvenience?” Modi said.
Modi also said that his opponents were within the government with several MPs having approached him when the government first took the decision to make declaration of PAN number mandatory for buying jewellery above Rs 2-lakh.
“Jewellers may be few in number but they are very powerful. MPs began approaching me against the move. But I didn’t budge,” Modi said.
“We started Jan Dhan accounts. When I came up with this scheme, I was mocked in parliament... Even if you burn Modi alive, Modi does not get scared,” Modi said.
Around 10,000 BJP karyakartas were in attendance ferried in by Kadamba buses to hear the prime minister speak. Ministers, MLAs and businessmen from Goa and abroad flew down for the ceremony.
