Rahul did not understand importance of demonetisation: Nirmala Sitharaman

She wondered how can Prime Minister Narendra Modi be blamed for taking impromptu decision and at the same time leaking the information to others.

New Delhi, Nov 23 Hiting back at Congress Vice- President Rahul Gandhi for describing demonetisation as an impromptu experiment, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said he has neither understood the importance of the decision nor done his homework.

She wondered how can Prime Minister Narendra Modi be blamed for taking impromptu decision and at the same time leaking the information to others.

"I am not sure if he (Gandhi) has really looked into what is meant by the exercise the government has done ...So this kind of remark saying that it is impromptu, itself shows that not much home work has been done by the Congress Vice- President," she told PTI in an interview.

Sitharaman said that the move to withdraw high denomination currency helps in making the economy "cleaner" and make transactions more formal and transparent. "There are so many dimensions to it. It is a very big step of this nature," she added.

The minister said that had there been no preparations, then how Rs 2,000 note came into the market a day after the announcement of the demonetisation.

"It was available in many parts, not adequately I agree. Could that have happened if there was no preparations by the government," she said, adding this was not an impromptu or a knee-jerk decision.

"They are making all kinds of statements but there is nothing substantial," she said. Gandhi has described the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes as the world's "biggest impromptu financial experiment".

"Prime Minister can give lectures to pop concert where 'naach gaana' is going on. 200 MPs are saying they want to tell the nation why he took this decision. PM does not want to come to Parliament. Why is PM afraid of going inside? He is obviously anxious about something," Gandhi said.

Opposition MPs including those of Congress, SP, BSP, TMC, DMK, CPI, CPI(M) among others were outside Parliament near Gandhi Statue protesting the demonetisation.

PTI