Adani, Ambani had prior info on note scrap, admits BJP leader

Kota, Nov 17: Ruling BJP legislator Bhawani Singh Rajawat stirred controversy when he was caught on camera criticising the Narendra Modi government's decision to scrap Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and alleging that industrialists Gautam Adani and Ambanis had prior information of the demonetisation decision.

Some channels ran a video news in which Rajawat was seen talking to journalists in Kota that “Ambani-Adani ko pehle se pata tha aur unko hint de diya gaya aur unhone apna kar liya” (Ambani and Adani were given hints of demonetisation after which they converted their money).

In the video, Rajawat also criticised the quality of new Rs 2,000 denomination, which he said appears fake on touching it.

“Adequate currency should have been printed prior to the demonetisation move keeping in view the population,” Rajawat was heard saying in the video.

Rajawat's controversial jibe came at a time when opposition parties were accusing Modi government of giving prior information of demonetisation to industrialists and black money hoarders.

Rajawat refuted giving any such statement to media. “I was just chatting informally with some journalists but did not give any statement against demonetisation,” he told Hindustan Times.

He, however, said demonetisation was affecting farmers due to currency crunch but the move would certainly fetch black money.

This is not the first time when Rajawat is in trouble for his controversial jibe.

He was earlier accused of threatening people to give votes to the BJP in the Kota Municipal Corporation election in 2014 and had questioned the role of coaching students from Bihar studying in Kota behind the alleged murder of a student from the state.

Couple of months ago, the three-time MLA from Ladpura had talked about gunning down the crocodiles that he said had been troubling the people of his constituency.