Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a well-attended public rally in Kanpur, the precursor to what many expect to be his game changing rally in Lucknow on January 2. The Lucknow public rally will come at the end of his promised 50 days of “pain” of note ban.
He had earlier promised that days of pain would lead to “gain” for the public. However, the PM on Monday seemed to be suggesting that the pain might last a little bit longer, and he didn’t for once utter the word “gain” in nearly an hour long speech, and exhorted people to be willing to suffer inconveniences for a few more days for a brighter future of the country.
The PM railed against the Opposition for not letting Parliament function, for obstructing his fight against black money and corruption and for lying and trying to mislead people. Modi said India, post-note ban, was divided into two halves – a small minority of politicians trying to protect black money, corruption and dishonesty, and the other half comprising the hardworking and honest poor and middle classes of the country who are fighting this battle to reclaim their right.
The PM said he congratulated the Election Commission for having demanded from political parties to come clean on their donations. He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomes the move, and he had requested at the ‘all party meeting’ before the winter session of Parliament to have a discussion on making political donations transparent.
Taking a dig at the Congress party’s lack of commitment to stopping black money, the PM said that party had a treasurer Sitaram Kesri, about whom Congress leaders themselves said how he didn’t maintain any accounts of donations received by the party. “Na khaata na bahi, jo Kesri kahe wahi sahi,” the PM said, adding this is how the Congress conducts its politics.(more)
