Javadekar hits at Pawar over remarks on demonetisation

Hitting back at Sharad Pawar over his note-ban remarks, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said YB Chavan’s “disciples” should at least understand his “teachings” today as things would have been different had Indira Gandhi listened to his advise on demonetisation.

Hitting back at Sharad Pawar over note-ban remarks, Union minister Prakash Javadekar has said YB Chavan’s “disciples” should at least understand his “teachings” today as things would have been different had Indira Gandhi listened to his advise on demonetisation.

Union human resource minister Prakash Javadekar (PTI File Photo)

The Congress party was in power at the time and if the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had paid heed to her cabinet colleague Chavan’s advice on demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not have been compelled to take the decision, Javadekar said at a function at the Dombivili Gymkhana on Sunday.

“Chavan was firm on demonetisation but no one in the government was ready to take his advice on it. His disciples should at least understand his teachings today,” he said, in a veiled dig at NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Pawar slammed Modi for dragging Indira Gandhi into the demonetisation debate by saying that the then Prime Minister virtually rejected Chavan’s proposal.

Javadekar said black money and corruption had become cancerous to the society and to get out of its grip there was a need for a firm decision, which was taken by Modi.

“For the last 70 years people have been standing in queues for procuring rice and kerosene but now for some time they are required to stand in queues for the betterment of the nation,” he said, adding that most people have welcomed the decision.