Modi terms demonetisation as a 'historic cleansing ritual'

Modi said people of the country had taken the biggest "shudhi yagna" after Diwali

New Delhi, Dec 31: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said thousands of people had written to him about the hardships they faced due to demonetisation but the November 8 decision proved that Indians wanted freedom from corruption.

"The corruption had made the people of the country to bow before of it without their will. And they wanted to come out of it," Modi said in his address to the nation on the New Year's eve.

Terming demonetisation as a "historic cleansing ritual", Modi said people of the country had taken the biggest "shudhi yagna" after Diwali. Modi said it was unacceptable that only 24 lakh people in the country have declared that they earn over Rs 10 lakh a year.

Corrupt won't be spared:

"In the country only 24 lakh people accept that their income is more than Rs 10 lakh. Can any one accept it," Modi said in his address to the nation on New Year's eve. "We all see big buildings and cars around us. In the big cities, one can find many people with more than Rs 10 Lakh income," he said.

The Prime Minister said this fight for honesty needed to be strengthened: "It is natural to discuss what will happen with the corrupt. Law will take its own course."

Modi praises bank employees:

He also commended bank employees for their "exemplary work" after the demonetisation move but warned that those indulging in corruption will not be spared.

"Bank employees and authorities along with people have done exemplary work, yes there have been reports of a few indulging in corruption. These people won't be spared," Modi said in a special address to the nation on New Year's Eve.

IANS