PM Modi bats for poor, lays emphasis on cashless society

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is facing all out criticism from the opposition post the government's demonetisation drive, today urged all to support this endeavor to make India a digital economy and a cashless society.

Attending a BJP parliamentary meet in Parliament, Prime Minister Modi said the fight against black money and the amendments in the income-tax law is an initiative aimed at benefitting the poor.

"Addressing the BJP parliamentary meet today, the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji said that our fight against black money and the amendments in the income-tax law is an initiative aimed at benefitting the poor," said Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar after the meeting.

"He urged all to support the government's endeavor to make India a digital economy and a cashless society. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana will aim at ensuring that water, toilet, healthcare and education reach the poor," he added.

Commenting the opposition's demand for an apology from the Prime Minister over his barb directed at them for questioning the demonetisation drive, Kumar said the former will definitely intervene in both houses and put forth his stand.

"We were ready for debate in both the houses from the 16th . The opposition parties left the debate in the middle in Rajya Sabha and have not yet started it in the Lok Sabha. We are ready for debate but we don't understand what problems they have," he said.

Earlier in the day, the opposition parties escalated their attack on the ruling dispensation and reiterated their demand for an apology from the Prime Minister over his unwarranted barb post the decision to scrap high-value currency notes.

A united opposition is also adamant on its demand for discussion under Rule 56 in the Lok Sabha.

Sources said this was decided by the opposition in the meeting held this morning in Parliament.

Justifying his decision, the Prime Minister had earlier on Friday in an event to mark Constitution Day said the people questioning his move were those who didn't get time to make any preparation.

"I think the pain of such people is that the government did not give a chance (to them) to make any preparation. These same people would have lavished praise on him if they had got 72 hours to make their preparations," he said.