PM ridicules Rahul's remarks, counters Manmohan

"Many people say I had not taken account the consequences of this huge step. In fact, the only thing that I could not take into account was the brazenness with which many political parties and leaders will come to the rescue of the corrupt. But I am happy that this drive aimed at eliminating 'kala dhan' (black money) has exposed so many 'kale mann' ((ill-intentions)," Modi said.

The Prime Minister, who was on his first tour of his Lok Sabha constituency after Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were demonetised on November 8, was speaking at a function organised inside the Benares Hindu University campus. Charging the opposition parties, who have been attacking the government over demonetization, with "brazenly standing in support of the corrupt and the dishonest", Modi compared their stalling of parliamentary proceedings during the latest session to "firing at the borders by Pakistan in a bid to provide cover to infiltrators".

He also hit back at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and P Chidambaram, saying their argument that promoting cashless economy was futile due to poverty, illiteracy and electricity not reaching villages in the country "exposes" their own report card. Reacting to his predecessor Manmohan Singh's assertion in the Parliament that a cashless economy was not feasible for the country where nearly 50 per cent of people were poor, the Prime Minister said, "I wonder whether he was giving his own report card by admitting the dismal situation. After all, he has not just been the Prime Minister for two terms and a Finance Minister previously. Since the 1970s he has been holding key positions".

He also took potshots at Rahul Gandhi's assertion that payments through cards, online transfers etc. would face hurdles in the country due to low literacy levels, saying, "I hope he does not say that I had indulged in some sort of black magic to make illiterate those who knew how to read and write. He never thinks before he speaks and he may not have realised that he has admitted the failure of the long reign of his own party."

Urging the people to have patience in the face of the inconveniences which have ensued demonetisation, Modi said, making use of a metaphor, "The stench of a garbage heap becomes unbearable when a cleanliness drive starts. But if we persevere and remove every bit of filth, we can build a beautiful garden on the clean spot".

Mock me but answer corruption charges: Rahul to Modi

A combative Rahul Gandhi hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for mocking his speech wherein the Congress vice president had accused him of having taken money from corporate groups, saying he could make fun of him but needed to answer the charges of personal corruption levelled against him.

At a 'jan aakrosh rally' in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the Congress vice president told the Prime Minister that he could make fun of him as much as he can but should answer the questions raised by him. "The charges have not been levelled by me alone but by the youth of India who feel cheated as you had promised them jobs," an aggressive Rahul said. 

Waving sheets of paper which purportedly contained details of charges against Modi having allegedly accepted money from Sahara and Birla groups when he was Gujarat Chief Minister, the Congress vice president asked the Prime Minister to tell whether the documents were correct or not.

Sticking to his guns, he alleged Modi as the Gujarat Chief Minister had taken Rs 40 crore from the Sahara group in nine instalments spread over six months in 2013 and 2014. Coming down hard against note ban, he insisted that the Prime Minister came out with the surprise decision not to help the poor but the "super rich 50 families of India".