PM Modi never claimed he is doing great work, says Sareshwala

Businessman Zafar Sareshwala on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never claimed that he is doing something great.

"Mr. Modi has never claimed that I am doing something great. He has always said that what is right and what good things previous governments have done, I will continue doing that," Sareswala told ANI here.

"He has never said that I don't want to work and bring my own. But the issue is not that. This black money issue has been raised by previous governments also," he added.

Prime Minister Modi earlier in the day said that repatriation of black money was a key 'priority' for the government, and called for 'close coordination' on achieving the above objective at a meeting of the five-nation BRICS group just hours ahead of the G-20 Summit in Brisbane.

Sareshwala said that in India for reaching the banking sector and insurance segment to the poorest of the poor was started in 1969 and that is why the whole banking and insurance companies were nationalised.

"But what did happen? After 45 years, more than 50 percent of Indians don't even have a bank account," said Sareshwala.

Sareshwala, who is said to be a strong supporter of Prime Minister Modi, further said 70 million accounts have been opened in four months.

"His thing is that if a good idea is generated by the previous government but has not been implemented, he has no problem in implementing that," he added.

Sareshwala further rubbished the idea of people having any doubt that Prime Minister Modi is taking undue credit.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had earlier on August 28 launched the 'Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana' scheme, under which the government will provide every household with a bank account and an insurance cover.

Interviewed and reported by Naveen Kapoor/Copy edited by Kanika Singhal.