Bandaru Dattatreya denounces Congress for attacking demonetisation

TIRUPATI: Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today slammed Congress for flaying the demonetisation move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that when that party was in power, no "bold" decision was taken for the benefit of the common man.

Slamming former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Dattatreya said they were in power for ten years but no "bold decision" was taken for the benefit of common man.

"Now they are attacking a good decision meant for the common man," he told reporters here.

Dattatreya said the Demonetisation decision was a "very bold and revolutionary step to cast out blackmoney and counterfeit currency for the prosperity of the country".

Instead of offering positive suggestions to a good decision taken up by the Prime Minister, Opposition Congress and left parties with a motive to gain political mileage are deliberately criticising demonetisation, he said.

Most people in the country and several chief ministers, including Nitish Kumar, have hailed the Prime Minister's brave move to banish black money and counterfeit currency, he added.

He asked Manmohan Singh to offer good suggestions instead of criticising the decision.

The minister claimed that BJP under Modi would again capture power in the 2019 general elections with more seats and opposition parties, including Congress, would further have their share of seats in Lok Sabha reduced, as more than 80 per cent of people have approved of demonetisation.

The BJP government would keep its promise of bringing back black money stashed away in foreign countries as the Prime Minister has already begun efforts in this regard, Dattatreya said.

Earlier, Dattatreya along with family members offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala here in the morning, temple sources said.