Selling lies: Pradhan targets Kejriwal for his jibe at PM Modi over withdrawal of Rs 2,000 notes

Targeting Kejriwal over the alleged excise policy scam, Pradhan said it is natural for the "hardcore corrupt" living in 'sheesh mahal' to feel rattled

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of "selling lies", following the AAP leader's jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the RBI's decision to withdraw Rs 2,000 currency notes from circulation.

Kejriwal had tweeted that it was first said that Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes will end corruption and now it is being said that withdrawing them will end corruption.

"That is why I say that we should have an educated prime minister," he said, adding that people have to suffer otherwise.

Hitting back, Pradhan said Rs 2,000 notes remain legal tender and added that the "educated chief minister is again out to sell lies".

Citing a poem by Kabir, the Union minister said education alone does not make someone wise.

Read | Rs 2000 notes withdrawn: Key takeaways from RBI's announcement

Targeting Kejriwal over the alleged excise policy scam in which his former deputy Manish Sisodia has been arrested, Pradhan said it is natural for the "hardcore corrupt" living in 'sheesh mahal' to feel rattled.

The 'mahal' remark was a reference to the row over the AAP government's huge expenditure to renovate Kejriwal's residence.

"It seems that all the hard work done by the kingpin in the liquor scam is going to waste," Pradhan said.

In a surprise move, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday announced withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes from circulation but gave the public time till September 30 to either deposit such notes in accounts or exchange them at banks.

In a statement, the RBI said it has asked banks to stop issuing Rs 2,000 notes with immediate effect.