Modi ji's ideological masters were on same side as British: Sibal

New Delhi [India], Dec. 16 (ANI): Suggesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "read history and also the history of his party whose leaders sided with the British", Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday said for them (the Congress) the nation is always first, the trouble is Modi ji doesn't know history nor is he interested in knowing it, but he should remember what his ideological masters did in 1947. "For us the nation is always first. Modi ji should read history and the history of his party, whose leaders sided with the British. He said BJP is the only party which is nationalist and all others are anti-national. Trouble is Modi ji doesn't know history nor is he interested in knowing it. Modi ji should remember what his ideological masters did in 1947. They were on the same side as the British. They opposed Congress's freedom struggle. For them, organisation is first, and the nation is second," said Sibal, while addressing a press conference here. Sibal said today, Modi ji has forsaken both nation and his party; he is busy trying to show his own image on TV. "Modi ji mentioned the Wanchoo Report of 1971 and said, YB Chavan told Indira ji that there should be demonetisation." "I don't know how far and to what extent the new policy will be able to affect the person for whom it is intended. One thing is clear a large number of people belonging to the middle and lower middle classes will be hit hard on account of the demonetisation of the currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. While we Congressmen have no sympathy for profiteers and dealer in the black market, it is not right to penalise honest Indians, who in good faith have their savings in notes of demonetised value. These are the words of Dr Rajendra Prasad. Does Modi ji want to call Dr Rajendra Prasad a scamster? That he was anti-national?" Sibal asked. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi said Indira Gandhi rejected suggestions for demonetisation in 1971, saying she wanted to win elections, but that resulted in poor economic condition in the country. Alleging that Indira Gandhi sold out India by ignoring advice to demonetise, Prime Minister Modi said, "She told her finance minister Y.B. Chavan: are no more elections to be fought by Congress?" Stressing that the implementation of demonetisation policy was required in 1971, but it was implemented now, the Prime Minister, hitting out at the opposition at the BJP Parliamentary Party meet, said, "For the Congress, party is bigger than nation; but for us, the nation is above the party." "The Congress listens to the people as crores of honest people have been rendered helpless by the Modi Government due to demonetisation. Today, people are in lines to withdraw money; ATMs are empty and there are no notes in banks. At the wholesale vegetable and fruit markets, business has more or less stopped. In the Prime Minister's own constituency, people are being rendered jobless. Who is benefitting?" asked Sibal. "Modi ji knows that if one uses Paytm to make payments, from that two percent goes to Paytm. Whose earnings get hit? the small trader. So, exactly whom Modi ji is helping? Who is benefiting from this decision? Whose nation are you defending," asked Sibal. "Did Chanakya say that a ruler should lie? We want to ask which party has the most black money? Modi ji should ask himself that. If Modi ji wants to fight black money, he should start from his own party," he said. "When Modi ji was giving speeches before 2014, were people paying him in cheques? We want to ask who was paying him in cheques and which cheques are used to pay 'Shakhas'? In Jhandewalan, are all payments made in cheques? Are all these meetings with helicopters and big marquees, which Modi ji is attending, are paid for in cheques? From which books are these payments being made? When talking about black money, Modi ji should look at his own house," said Sibal, adding that those rich people, with black money, quickly bought dollars and gold paying a small commission. (ANI)