Congress has no moral right to criticise Centre on demonetisation: Naidu

Taking on Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on demonetisation, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu said the Congress Party has no moral right to do so since it was under their previous regime that a parallel economy laden with black money was allowed to function in the country.

"Let them further up the ante, they have no credibility, not even one person is going to believe what the Congress says because they have ruled the country and ruined the country. All this is happening in the country because of the misrule of the Congress and what have they done to unearth black money?" Naidu told ANI.

"What is it you that have done to unearth the black money, why have you not acted on the Supreme Court guidance to form the SIT on black money, the order came in 2012, and how this parallel economy has been going on years together. It was the Congress rule that provided for all scams and scandals. You have pushed the country into a cesspool of corruption," he added.

He further asserted the Congress has no moral authority to raise questions on the Prime Minister.

"In the two years, Prime Minister Modi has repaired the economy enhanced the image of the country and has earned the respect of the country and international community and what have we inherited? We inherited fiscal deficit, trade deficit, current account deficit led by great economist Dr. Manmohan Singh," Naidu said.

Naidu said the Congress is now getting frustrated as their election prospects are on the down swing and their presence in parliament is diminishing.

"From last 20 days, Congress and its friends prevented parliament from functioning. You gave a call for bharat bandh which was a flop. You called for aakrosh rally it fissile out. You wanted a debate, we started, but you ran away from it," he added.

Recalling Prime Minister Modi's remark, Naidu said demonetisation is a bitter pill for a long term ill while adding that will benefit people in the long term.

"It is a revolutionary and transformatory move in every transformation. There will be some problems and affects, but after affects it will be good that is why people showing monumental patience, they have confidence in leadership of the Prime Minister and feel that this step is a moral step," he said.