Manmohan Singh being forced to say what he does not want to say: Naqvi

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today launched an attack on the Congress, alleging that it was forcing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by putting words into his mouth on the demonetisation issue.

He was addressing reporters here on the occasion of 'anti-black money day' organised by the BJP to mark the first anniversary of note ban.

"I believe he (Singh) is a gentle man, an experienced leader, but the problem is that words are being put into his mouth," Naqvi alleged.

"When Singh was the prime minister, the Congress used to dictate to him, it used to disrespect him. Everyone will recall how present day Congress' Yuvraj rejected as complete nonsense the ordinance (to save convicted legislators from disqualification)," he alleged.

He claimed that Singh was a noted economist who knew in his heart that the decision taken by the prime minister on demonetisation was a big reform and in the interest of the country.

"Despite this, he is being forced by the Congress to say what he does not want to say. The person who used to rarely speak is being forced to repeatedly make comment on this," the minority affairs minister alleged.

Addressing a Congress event in Gujarat yesterday for small and medium business owners as part of Gujarat assembly poll campaign, Singh had alleged that note ban and rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) have sown a "deep-rooted fear of tax terrorism" among the business community.

At an event of the Indian School of Business (ISB) Leadership Summit in Mohali in September, Singh, on being asked if the note ban decision was a right one, had said, the "adventure" of demonetisation undertaken last year which was not required at all, either technically or economically".

Meanwhile, Naqvi claimed that had the government-led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi indulged in "vendetta politics", many top leaders of the Congress would have now been in jail.

Asserting that the BJP does not believe in vendetta politics, he claimed if that was the case many members of the Congress' "super family" would not be roaming free.

He said the investigation agencies were probing the corruption cases and scams that allegedly took place during the earlier regime and the law would take its own course.

He said the central government believed in "politics of reform" and not the "politics of revenge".

During the last three years of the government, he said they had worked with "Rashtraneeti" of "reform, perform and transform".

Naqvi said the NDA government had given full freedom to all investigating agencies so that they can do their job without any pressure or political interference.

"But during the Congress regime, the CBI and other investigating agencies were misused to harass political opponents," he alleged.

Naqvi said that the Congress cannot escape the action against corruption by calling it "vendetta politics".

Today 'black day' was observed by the Congress and its allies which were spreading misconceptions about note ban, he alleged, adding that they would not succeed in their "conspiracy".

"One year has passed since the note ban and our government's decision has proved to be right and successful. The people supported our government in the fight against corruption even after facing some problems initially," he said.

He said the entire world had recognised the strength of India's economy.

"The country has become one of the safest destinations for investment. Demonetisation had played a crucial role in this regard. After demonetisation, about 57 lakh new income tax payers have been added," he said.

"There has been a 75 percent decline in stone pelting and terror incidents in Kashmir and 20 per cent decline in Naxal activities in the country," he said.