New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Thursday took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the demonetisation issue while quoting the Dalai Lama to say that they should listen to learn more than merely talking.
“When you talk you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen you may learn something new-Dalai Lama,” he said on Twitter.
Highlighting the problems faced by farmers in view of demonetisation of currency notes of high denomination, Gandhi also put out a story on the plight of farmers in this regard.
Rejecting Gandhi’s charge that the demonetisation move has hit farmers, Jaitley had said the Congress leader must “apply his mind” and understand that those in farming will not face any tax whether they keep their money at home or in banks.
He denied Gandhi’s charge of common man being inconvenienced because of withdrawal of old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes and also rejected former finance minister P Chidambaram’s estimation of cost of printing the new Rs 2,000 notes as “highly exaggerated”.
“As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, he should understand that any person, especially poor and common man, will not face any inconvenience,” Jaitley said.
As agriculture income is exempt from income tax, farmers face no levies whether they keep their money in banks (by depositing old and now withdrawn currency notes) or in their houses, he said, adding that in both cases no tax is levied on them.
“If he keeps (money) in banks, then he can earn interest and money will also be safe. So they will have three advantages — no need to pay tax, earn interest, and money will be safe. If he stacks money unsafely at home, then he will face hardship,” he said.
“So before giving such statement, he (Gandhi) should apply his mind and seriously ponder.”
Gandhi had earlier targeted Modi over the demonetisation move, saying “real culprits” who have stashed black money are “sitting tight” while lives of farmers, small shopkeepers and housewives “have been thrown in utter chaos.”
#Arun Jaitley#Dalai Lama#Narendra Modi#Rahul Gandhi