Panaji: Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said demonetisation has struck a blow to anti-India forces and empowered the poorest of poor through an increase in financial inclusion and formalisation of the economy.  

A year after the Centre's decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, the chief minister of Goa commented on the move on Twitter. "Through increase in financial inclusion & formalisation of our economy, #Demonetisation empowered the poorest of poor," Parrikar said in a tweet.  

"Terrorism & naxalism thrives on unaccounted cash & black money. #Demonetisation has struck a blow to anti-India forces," he said in another tweet. In another tweet, the senior BJP leader said, "#Demonetisation was a reformist measure to weed out black money, strengthen our economy, & establish good governance."  

Parrikar was the defence minister between November 2014 and March this year. He resigned in March to take over as the chief minister of Goa.

On November 8 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes as a measure to fight blackmoney, corruption, fake currency and terror funding.  

The BJP earlier announced that it will mark the first anniversary of demonetisation as 'anti-blackmoney day', setting up a political tug of war with opposition parties which have planned to observe it as a "black day". PTI