Narendra Modi in Belgaum: Strike against corrupt won't end even after 30 December

Speaking at the valedictory of the year-long centenary celebrations of the KLE Society in Belgaum on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the point that he made in his Panaji speech. He said that the country needs healing and his operation is meant to rid the country of black money hoarders.

“The government won’t spare the guilty. The entire nation is filled with the corrupt, and I’m giving small doses of medicine to heal this,” Modi said.

#WATCH: PM Narendra Modi reacts to questions raised by Congress over scrapping of Rs 500/1000 notes, in Belgaum (Karnataka) pic.twitter.com/d5fOKeVvPD

— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2016

Referring to the honest working class people, Modi said: “You have the right claim over your hard-earned money. Till 30 December you will receive your hard-earned money. The honest citizens of the nations need not worry about the ban.”

Seeking the blessings of the crowd, he asked the people to stand and raise their hands in his support. He said, “There is ‘pain’ here, but what is more important is the ‘gain’ for the country. I need to successfully carry out this cleanliness drive.”

“The strike against corrupt won’t end even after 30 December,” Modi added.

Earlier in the day, Modi spoke at a Goa government function near Panaji, where he said his drive against corruption and black money, especially the demonetisation, had put him in the crosshairs of those involved the illegal trade.

Modi also said that the demonetisation drive was not the end of his campaign against corruption and black money and that he was working on other projects to stop the malaise.

“I know what kind of powers I have taken on. I know the kind of people who will be against me now. I am looting what they had accumulated over 70 years,” Modi said in his speech at the Shama Prasad Mukherjee indoor stadium in Bambolim village near Panaji.

“They will not leave me alive. They will destroy me. Let them do what they want. (For) 50 days, help me. The country should just help me for 50 days,” Modi added.

“This is not the end. This is not a full stop. I am openly saying, this is not a full stop.

“There are other projects in my mind to stop dishonesty and corruption in the country. These projects are coming.

“I am doing this for the poor, honest people for those who are working hard to survive. So that they can get their own home, their children get good education and so that their parents get care,” Modi added in his hour-long speech.

At one time, he halted for a few seconds to check his emotions while saying he had sacrified his home and family for the sake of the country.

The Prime Minister, addressing his first public function in the country after the dramatic demonetisation announcement of 8 November, said his decision, which was a “secret operation” for nearly 10 months, was a part of a series of “doses” he was administering to cure the economic system.

Modi said people should not have been surprised with the demonetisation decision as he has been vocal and frank about his campaign against black money and corruption in the run up to the 2014 polls.

“Did you not ask me to work against black money? If you had asked me to do it, should I have done it or not? You tell me, if you had asked me, then you would have imagined that there would be some inconvenience,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said his government’s intent to weed out both was made clear with the first decision of his cabinet, which was to form a committee to keep track of black money and devise ways and means to bring it back to the country’s treasury.

With inputs from IANS