Fight against graft will not end till it is won: Narendra Modi

MUMBAI: Reiterating his promise to reduce the pain of common people in 50 days post-demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned that the battle against black money would not end till it is won.

Mr Modi, who was in Mumbai to lay the foundation stone for the Rs 3,600 crore Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial, that only the dishonest would suffer due to the demonetisation decision. Modi on Saturday also kick-started projects worth 'one lakh crore ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls in the city scheduled next year.

The grand ceremony was used as a show of strength for BJP workers who turned up in large numbers, overpowering other alliance partners like Shiv Sena. Mr Modi said the people had remained firm on his side following the demonetisation decision, despite facing a lot of inconvenience.

“On November 8, we made the biggest attack against black money and counterfeit currency. The 125 crore people of this country went through pain but did not leave me for a moment. Attempts were made to scare them, rumours were created but the people did not get carried away,” Mr Modi said.

Addressing public events, he also asked the dishonest not to not underestimate the mood of the country against corruption. “Dishonest people, you should not underestimate the mood of 125 crore people. You will have to be afraid of it... Time has come for ruin of dishonest people. This is a cleanliness campaign,” Modi said just with a week to go for the expiry of the December 30 deadline when the scrapped '500/1000 notes can be deposited in banks.

Earlier in the day at a Sebi function, Modi promised more “sound and prudent economic policies” which would be “not for short-term political point-scoring” but for “larger national interests.

“Let me make one thing very clear: This government will continue to follow sound and prudent economic policies, to ensure that we have a bright future in the long-run. We’ll not take decisions for short-term political point-scoring. We’ll not shy away from taking difficult decisions, if those decisions are in the interest of the country,” Modi said.

He favoured increasing the tax contribution from various market participants in a “fair, efficient and transparent way”. Asking the regulators and taxmen to think about the contribution of market participants to the exchequer, Modi said, “The low contribution of taxes may be due to the structure of our tax laws. Low or zero tax rate is given to certain types of financial income.” The Prime Minister's remarks assume much significance ahead of the budget to be presented on February 1.