Are those observing black day today on first anniversary of demonetisation in favour of black money? wondered senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
She was responding to questions from newspersons on the Opposition parties observing black day today against demonetisation launched on November 8, 2016.
"The objective with which demonetisation has been brought, and for which I granted that for at least a couple of months people had to go through a lot of difficulties, the common people had seen the intention of the government and supported it, in fact by putting up difficulties they had faced," she said at the party headquarters here.
The government had given the data on effects of demonetisation on various aspects, including containing counterfeit currency, bringing back black money or squeezing out those money stashed and unable to bring them back into circulation.
The government also gave the data on identifying bogus companies who till then had negative transactions, and post demonetisation brought in money that was lying somewhere and trying to make it white. Data was also provided on stopping terror funding through high denomination notes.
"If anyone is disputing them, I am willing to answer them," she said.
Demonetisation was not a sudden decision but was part of BJP's 2014 Lok Sabha election manifesto that talked about efforts to be made by the party when it comes to power to curb black money, she said.