Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made an earnest appeal to common citizens to bear with the temporary hardship ''for the future of India,'' and for the betterment of the lives of the young generation who bear the brunt of 70 years of corruption.
The prime minister urged the ''honest'' people of the country to bear with the temporary hardships for another 50 days. ''If I commit any mistake, I am ready to face any punishment the country will give me. But I promise to deliver a corruption-free India,'' PM Modi said.
Speaking about the government's move to denotify high denomination notes, PM Modi said that the majority of the people in India slept peacefully on 8 November, when the announcement was made, but ''some are sleepless even now''.
Modi nearly broke down on Sunday while speaking at foundation stone laying ceremony of Greenfield Airport at Mopa plateau in Goa. "I've left my home and family to serve this country … I was not born to sit on a chair of high office. Whatever I had, my family, my home - Desh ke liye ghar parivar chhoda hai, sab kuch desh ke naam kara hai I left it for nation (I left it all for the nation)'', Modi said.
He said the forces of corruption would use every means to safeguard the loot of 70 years. ''They may not let me live, they may ruin me because their loot of 70 years is in trouble, but I am prepared,'' Modi said in connection with his crackdown on black money.
''I will uproot this 70-year-old disease of corruption in 17 months, PM Modi said slamming previous governments over corruption.
"Why do we have to put the future of our youths at stake? Those who want to do politics are free to do so."
''Yes I also feel the pain. These steps taken were not a display of arrogance. I have seen poverty and understand people's problems, Modi said, adding, the real issue for the opposition is how to save the ill gotten wealth.
Prime Minister also took a jibe at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who stood in queue at an SBI bank branch in New Delhi. "Those involved in big scams now have to stand in queues to exchange Rs4,000."
"I've kept my promise to fight corruption…I am not interested in saving my chair; my government will uplift the poor."
"You'll be shocked to know that many MPs asked me not to make PAN mandatory for any purchase of jewellery… If any money that was looted in India and has left Indian shores, it is our duty to find out about it."
He said the government's mandate is to weed out corruption. "The people have chosen a government and they expect so much from it. In 2014, so many people voted to free the nation from corruption," he said, adding, ''This is an important step towards eradicating corruption and black money, but some people are lost in their own world."
On Saturday, finance minister Arun Jaitley said the existing ATM machinery in the country were not calibrated to dispense the new currency notes which have different dimensions compared to the old ones. He added that it will take about 21 days to recalbirate the ATM machines. Source: domain-b.com
