Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), Nov 12 (UNI) Under attack from the principal Opposition for his noteban move in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday defended the decision strongly and said it was due to the demonetisation that 'fake companies' have been identified and one impact of the same was that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had to "seek bail".
"It is ridiculous that they want an account of demonetisation. It was due to the demonetisation that fake companies were identified. Because of that you had to seek bail," the Prime Minister said addressing a poll rally here ahead of the second phase polling in the state on November 20.
Mr Modi asserted that the BJP was for development and that it was due to this commitment that the Opposition was unable to understand how to compete with the saffron party.
"The politics in Congress party begins and ends with one family, while our politics begins from the huts of the poor," Mr Modi said the Congress never got a leadership which worked with a resolution of "living or dying for the welfare of the nation".
In this context, he further said, Chhattisgarh may have taken 50 years to attain the present level of development had it still been ruled by the grand old party being led by Rahul Gandhi.
Mr Modi also recalled how Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had referred about inherent corruption in the system wherein only 15 paise of every rupee meant for the welfare of the common people and their welfare schemes reached them.
"It was the 'hand' (election symbol of the Congress) which had siphoned off the 85 paise," he alleged.
Chhatisgarh went to first phase of polls on Monday, while the second phase will be on November 20.
The turnout of voters in the Naxal hit areas was good. Speaking to one of the television channels, CEO Chattisgarh Subrata Sahu said: "The trends of voters turnout on the first phase has been encouraging".
About 47 per cent voting has been reported till noon, sources said.
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