'Those with black money worried': Amit Shah hits back at Opposition

Almora: BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday hit out at the opposition parties protesting demonetisation, saying the discomfort is evident on the face of the leaders opposing the move, which should worry only those who possess black money.

"Those who don't have any black money in their homes, do they have any reason to worry? Do you see any worries on the faces of our leaders? Now have a look at the face of Rahul baba (Gandhi) and see if can notice discomfort or not," Shah said addressing a public meeting here.

He also targeted other parties asking the crowd if they could see worry on the faces of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati or AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, as the audience answered back saying "yes".

"All of them are worried," he said. Underlining the effects of the government's move to demonetise high currency notes, Shah said that through black money terrorism, naxalite movement, drug mafia and counterfeiters operate and "(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji, with one stroke of the pen, has turned this black money into scrap".

"On November 7, they said, Modi ji what did you do on the issue of black money. Now they say, Modi ji why did you do it. The what has turned into why. They are concerned who have millions and billions stashed in their bungalows," Shah said, taking another jibe at opposition party leaders.

The BJP President said that if the human body has an ailment, doctors have to conduct an operation and similarly, demonetisation will have a positive effect.

"The way demonetisation is being opposed, I believe, these people are siding with black money and corruption," he added.

Shah claimed that BJP was sensitive to the problems being faced by people queuing up outside the banks and ATMs but said they must realise that the step had hurt "those sleeping over hoardes of black money three thousand times more than the people on the streets".

Addressing a huge gathering on the occasion of Parivartan Yatra in the Kumaun University SSJ Campus, Shah said that people have to make a decision in the upcoming assembly elections in Uttarakhand whether they want a state which is developed or not as he sought votes to bring change in the state, presently ruled by a Congress government.

"We will work to combat Chinese insurgency at the border, control generation of electricity, and work for industrial progress for the benefit of Uttarakhand people," he said as he appealed to the people to vote for BJP, which "will give you a strong, fear-free and corruption-free government" and then Uttarakhand will be the strongest state in the country.

Accusing the Harish Rawat government of doing nothing without taking commission, Shah said having a BJP government both in the state and at the Centre will serve the interests of Uttarakhand better as it would help the benefits of the central schemes and funds percolate to the ground level.

He claimed that Uttarakhand could not progress under the Congress as he accused the party of carrying out corruption to the tune of Rs 12 crore. He appealed to the people to 'save the state' by putting an end to the current regime.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, he said the Congress vice president had no right to shed "crocodile tears" over One Rank One Pension (OROP) as three generations of party leadership had failed to address the issue which Modi did within two years of coming to power.

"Modi fulfilled the vexed demand when Rahul Gandhi had disappeared for six months with no one having any clue of his whereabouts. Perhaps he is not aware of what happened during his disappearance," he alleged.

"Modi has fulfilled an age-old demand. There may be some small outstanding issues which are being looked into by a commission," Shah told the gathering that included former chief ministers and other top most leaders of Uttarakhand BJP who also made speeches before the party president.