Several Union Ministers have also hailed the Centre's decision. Home Minister Rajnath Singh described the Prime Minister's decision as "courageous and bold" and said India's fight against corruption and terrorism will now be strengthened.<br/><br/> Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah called it a surgical strike by Narendra Modi on corruption and blackmoney. BJP President Amit Shah has said that the decision will immensely help eliminating the corruption. Complimenting the Centre and the Prime Minister for taking a tough but timely and path-breaking measures, Mr Shah said, the decision was needed to uproot corruption, black money, hawala and fake currency rackets. HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar too joined in to appreciate the move. Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma tweeted that the initiatives to stop black money, after the surgical strikes, show the courage of the Prime Minister.<br/><br/> However, Congress raised several questions over government's decision and expressed apprehension that it could create a lot of problems for traders, small-time businessmen and housewives. Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, however, made it clear that the party would always support meaningful, specific and pointed steps to unearth black money.<br/><br/>Reacting to the decision, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said, the Prime Minister had said about rooting out black money and decision would be a big step towards that.Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the decision is a milestone in India's progress. Mr. Fadnavis said that people will support and participate like true soldiers in this war against black money.<br/><br/>Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has termed the ban as a bold and welcome step. In a statement the Chief Minister said that however certain norms to facilitate the general public like wagers, paid employees, farmers, small traders and those few who have kept meeting exigencies should have been given ample time or systematical arrangement thereof to exchange the currency.<br/> <br/>Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the announcement. He recalled that the Telugu Desam Party had been at the forefront in pushing for a ban on high-value currency notes.<br/>West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a tweet termed the move as "draconian". In Kerala, the CPI(M)-led LDF government criticised the move saying the move would not wipe out black money from the country.