Gloves off, signals PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged BJP and NDA MPs to go full throttle in Parliament on the benefits of demonetisation and not buckle under pressure from the Congress and its long-term and tactical allies. At a meeting of the BJP/NDA parliamentary party executive in the evening, a ruling party source quoted Modi as alleging that the Opposition was out to "sabotage" the "historic decision". The meeting passed a resolution endorsing demonetisation. Sources said that after the "popular" support "manifest" at the three public meetings Modi had addressed since Sunday, the government and the BJP were "extremely confident" that they would come out trumps despite operational issues and the inconvenience to people. After six fraught days since demonetisation was announced on November 8, BJP sources claimed their "biggest source of relief" was that the Prime Minister had shored up his ranking. "Modiji's popularity has spurted, although I'm not sure of the overall political cost to the party," said an MP from a northern state. "As long as the Prime Minister's credentials are high, the party need not worry." Asked about the impact the limited cash flow and related difficulties would have on traders and the informal sector, a BJP official said: "Make no mistake. Surgical Strike I and II are about desh bhakti (patriotism). So no sacrifice is great. "Added to that is the advantage that when Modiji gives a call, people heed him. Lakhs of LPG users gave up their subsidy on one call." Asked if the traders, the BJP's historical backbone, would abandon the party, the official said: "The traders are great desh bhakts. That should answer your question." Central ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar, who spoke to the media after the NDA meeting, reflected the sense of aggression running through the BJP. I&B minister Naidu said: "In Parliament, we will get to know who are on the side of the black money hoarders." He quoted the Prime Minister as saying the "credit should not go to him (Modi) personally but to all the parties standing firm with him". Ananth Kumar, who helms the parliamentary affairs ministry, said the government would "address the nation on this issue through Parliament". BJP president Amit Shah directed the party to augment the efforts to resolve the problems on the ground instead of leaving "damage containment" solely to the government. Accordingly, Ramlal, the general secretary (organisation), held videoconferences with BJP state chiefs and senior officials yesterday and today. To begin with, the BJP has decided to re-activate the "bank mitras" or customer service points that had been set up across the country when the Centre rolled out the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana in 2014 to enable the poor to access banks. The "bank mitras" were hired by nationalised banks on salaries of Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, plus commissions on the debit/credit cards distributed. Once the Jan Dhan scheme had supposedly been enforced, the "bank mitras" reportedly had little to do apart from monitoring its working periodically. The "bank mitras" have been directed to fan out into the villages and help depositors/borrowers with their money transactions and open accounts for those without one. "They have been told to ensure that no villager has to travel to get his work done," a BJP official said. "The bank mitras will be under our scrutiny." Yoga televangelist Ramdev and the RSS are expected to be brought in. MPs have been told to spend weekends at their constituencies, explaining the scheme to the people. Cooperative banks, generally known as hotbeds of corruption for the rural rich, have been asked to accept deposits and exchange currency but after vetting a customer's credentials. If the government brass have been meeting at least once a day to review the demonetisation scene, Shah has been speaking to his team daily and giving feedback to the ministers.