Bhopal: Union minister for IT Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was here to showcase what all the union government has achieved by introducing demonetisation, put his foot firmly in his mouth during his interaction with media persons here on Tuesday.
Prasad said that the flesh trade has decreased after demonetisation. He said that all deals in sex trade were in cash and money flowed in from Nepal and Bangladesh. The minister ducked the question when asked to quantify the drop. When queried about the general impression that lakhs of persons have lost their jobs due to demonetisation, the minister’s response was rather blunt. He said that those who are unskilled are losing their jobs and that was inevitable. “If you don’t have skills, you will be sacked,” he said. He said that according to a NASSCOM report, six lakh jobs have been created after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister.
He said that naxalism and stone-pelting in the Kashmir valley have also declined while 23 lakh suspicious accounts are under scanner. A sum of Rs 3.68 lakh crore has been deposited in these accounts. He said that the companies that have been de-registered include those which were maintaining as many as 2,134 bank accounts. He said that Modi government’s decisions were a step in the direction of spring-cleaning the Indian economy.
Gang-rape: IG, SP have been punished
Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the incident of gang rape in the capital was unfortunate but added that top officials including an IGP and a SP have been penalised by the government. However, he had nothing to say when asked why the IGP, who was removed, has been made in-charge of law and order of the entire state. He said that if some states want to promulgate tougher laws for dealing with rapes, they are welcome and centre will co-operate with them.
‘Will get info on cash payment to farmers’
He said that he was not aware of the issues in making cash payments to the farmers. He said that he would seek information on it. The minister said that demonetisation has given a tremendous boost to digital economy.
Reveal source of data: Ajay Singh
Leader of opposition in the Vidhan Sabha said that IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s claim that flesh trade has decreased after demonetisation is “ludicrous” and “laughable”. He demanded that the minister should reveal the source of the data on the basis of which he reached this conclusion. Singh said that the minister’s claim shows how the government is coming out with bizarre arguments to justify demonetisation. Singh also ridiculed Prasad’s claim that naxalism and stone-pelting in Kashmir have declined after demonetisation.
