Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Nov 12: Terming the decision of Narendra Modi Government at Centre on demonetisation of currency notes of 500 and 1000 as historic which will be in the larger interests of national security, Union Minister in PMO with independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the step is a blow to funding of terrorism in the country and it will act as a complete deterrent against the same.
“It (demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000) is going to be a major deterrence as far as the funding of terrorism is concerned. This was one of the main considerations that the Government had arrived on this decision,” Dr Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function held here, today in connection with concluding session of two day workshop on Public Service delivery.
“The terrorism funding coming through many ways and utilized for promoting subversive activities will be now under check”, he said.
He said what was remarkable about the decision was that it was in the larger interest of the national security as the economy which was under strain will be strengthened now.
Admitting that the problems were faced by the people to some extent after the Government decided to demonetise the currency notes of 500 and 1000, he said despite that people showed total solidarity with Modi Government saying that in principle they support the decision.
Dr Singh said the people have total faith in the PM and his honest approach as it is for the second time in the history of the country when people outrightly endorsed the decision of PM. “ It was during the time of Lal Bahadur Shastri as PM in late sixties when the country was facing food scarcity and Shastri Ji asked the people to observe fast once in a week and they agreed to it and this is the second time when people gladly endorsed the PM’s decision on demonetisation of currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000”, he added.
On the allegations levelled by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Dr Singh said that the statements which lack any evidence don’t deserve a response.
“I don’t think it deserves any response, we live in an evidence based era and I don’t think I need to respond to any unsubstantiated statements,” he added.
“The 130 crore people of this country have wholeheartedly welcomed it. I was travelling in Uttar Pradesh yesterday, day before in Delhi and today in Jammu and have seen long queues of common men outside the banks and in spite of going through all the inconvenience, there was not a single one who did not say that they did not welcome it,” he added.
He said the decision was being hailed as it has come out with sincerity, honesty and courage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi for standing in a queue at an ATM in Delhi, the Union Minister sought to know who used to go to the ATM on behalf of the Congress Vice President before the decision was taken.
“I usually avoid making personal comments but what amused me was that I wish somebody had asked him had he ever been to an ATM before or was it just after this decision happened. Who was going to ATM on his behalf on earlier occasions?,” he questioned.
On the question of opening of schools in the Kashmir valley, Dr Jitendra Singh said he is sure that schools will re-open in Kashmir soon as the Centre was in touch with the State Government in this regard.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said that it will soon set a timeline to take steps to open the schools, he added.
Maintaining that the ground situation is fast changing in Kashmir valley, Dr Singh said that one thing which has been witnessed in over three month long unrest in Valley that there is uprising among the students against the subversives and terrorists as their parents are also coming openly against the separatists saying that the education of their wards has suffered. “If this agitation has done any thing good is that the terrorists and ultras were totally exposed before the masses.”
Dr Singh also said that the separatists were not the only stakeholders in Kashmir as there were other stakeholders too.
Admitting that the loss suffered by the people of border belt who could not harvest their crop due to shelling from across the border is a concern for the Government also, the Union Minister however, said that after the return of calm on borders a hope among the people has emerged that they will be able to return and harvest the crops.
He said people of borders for the first time are confident on Government’s retaliatory action against Pakistan. On the construction of bunkers in border belt, he said the work is on from LoC side. However there has been a suggestion that the bunkers be constructed within residential houses and Government is looking into it also.
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