No complaints! Proud to work for my country, say staff who refill ATMs

Pummelling the Congress and other parties which are opposing demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the corrupt were upset while the poor were "enjoying a sound sleep" after his decision.

Delhi: Ever since the government announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, one of the unlikely heroes of the whole move have been people who run cash refilling van.

These men run these vehicles, make way through crowds and refill Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). Most of the banks have outsourced the job of refilling and maintaining ATMs.

One of them, Nitin Mohan, an engineering graduate from Thiruvananthapuram, was quoted by  News18 as saying, "There is nothing that makes me more proud than working for my country and to make sure it is freed of the corrupt and black money. My mother compares me to a soldier."

The media house talked to him when he was offloading a cash vault from a van near Lajpat Nagar.

He has apparently been working almost 19 hours a day.

On the other hand, President of the Cash Logistics Association of India, Rituraj Sinha, told the media house that in a joint address to the workers who replenish ATMs, he told them to treat the work as a ‘national duty'.

He also told them that no financial incentive or bonus would be provided for.

Most of the personnel involved in this operation earn Rs 6,000 to 8,000 a month as per the report.

Another, personnel working to refill the State Bank of India ATM, Jatinder Singh, echoed the same sentiment and was quoted as saying that they don’t mind the extra pressure as it was a ‘service to the nation.’

Poor are having a sound sleep, the corrupt are upset: PM Modi

Meanwhile, pummelling the Congress and other parties which are opposing demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the corrupt were upset while the poor were "enjoying a sound sleep" after his decision and urged people to bear some inconvenience to root out graft.

"After demonetisation, the poor are enjoying a sound sleep while rich are running from pillar to post to buy sleeping pills," PM Modi said in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Stating that he understood the inconvenience being faced by people due to demonetisation, PM Modi compared his action to a new whitewash which gives out pungent smell, but is necessary.

"My decision is a little harsh. When I was young, poor people used to ask for 'kadak' (strong) tea but it spoils the mood of rich," he said at BJP's parivartan yatra rally in Ghazipur.

The PM recalled that Congress governments had imposed Emergency, stifling rights of the people and the media, and had banned 'chavanni' (25 paise coins).

"Under which law did they ban 'chavanni', it is another thing that they could not move beyond 'chavanni'. You took the step as per your stature and we did what matched ours," he said taking a swipe at the Opposition party, as per PTI.

He added that there was no dearth of money for development, but the fact was that money was stashed away somewhere else and not where it should have been.

The Prime Minister said he knew he was up against the powerful but vowed to continue his "fight for the poor, farmers and villagers".

"I know what all I will have to bear as those who have their coffers full are very strong people. They have the strength to buy governments. They have the power to topple and can spoil the future (of anyone) but should I be afraid of such people? Should I shun the path of honesty and run away. It is with your blessings that I have taken up such a big fight," he said.

(With Agency inputs)