Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called demonetisation a “bitter medicine” that he had used to return money to the banking system and give “proper treatment to deep-rooted corruption system” in the country, PTI reported.

The Centre demonetised notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 in November 2016, claiming that it would end the flow of black money, among other things.

“We use poisonous medicine to eradicate termite,” Modi said. “Similarly, I used note ban as a tez [bitter] medicine to treat corruption in the country.” The prime minister was addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua ahead of the November 28 Assembly elections. He is scheduled to address a public meeting in Rewa later on Tuesday.

Modi said that people who earlier hid their money are now paying taxes for every penny and “we are using this money for the right schemes for the common man”.

He claimed that corruption had “ruined the nation” when the Congress was in power. “To tackle it, we are constantly making efforts and impact is clearly visible,” ANI quoted him as saying. “Through technology, we are bringing transparency in the entire system.”

Modi warned farmers in the state to not get carried away by the Congress party’s promise of loan waiver. “The Congress made loan waiver promise to farmers in Karnataka before state Assembly polls there but instead of doing so, it is preparing to send peasants to jail,” he said, adding that his government is aiming to double farmers’ income by 2022.

The Congress, in its manifesto for the Madhya Pradesh elections, promised to waive farm loans and provide farmers bonuses for more than a dozen crops if it is voted to power.

“The amount of work we [BJP-led government] have done in four years, Congress would be able to do it in 10 years,” Modi said. “Remember the time when Congress was in power here in Madhya Pradesh, what was the condition of people? Madhya Pradesh does not deserve a government which never thinks about the state’s welfare.”

Modi termed the United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress “madam ki sarkar”, an apparent reference to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, and “remote controlwali sarkar [remote-controlled government]”. “I am working for the 125 crore people of the country,” he said. “I am living for them and this is troubling Congress.”