Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday played down Urjit Patel's resignation as Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) governor, says there is no question of political pressure and he did a good job as central bank chief.

#PMtoANI on Urjit Patel:He himself requested(to resign)on personal reasons. I am revealing for the first time, he was telling me about it for past 6-7 months before his resignation. He gave it even in writing. No question of political pressure. He did a good job as RBI Governor pic.twitter.com/yvCPKMYltp

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2019

Patel stepped down from his post on December 11 citing personal reasons. His resignation comes amid an unprecedented rift with the centre over matters related to the central bank's independence.

Talking on demonetisation, the Prime Minister said he had warned people to deposit black money or pay penalties, but they thought Modi too would behave like others.

#PMtoANI on Demonetization: This wasn’t a jhatka. We had warned people a year before, that if you have such wealth (black money),you can deposit it,pay penalties and you will be helped out.However,they thought Modi too would behave like others so very few came forward voluntarily pic.twitter.com/yPWsggTv3G

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2019

Modi had on November 8, 2026 announced the scrapping of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Citizens were provided a limited time window to deposit such notes in their bank accounts.

Taking pot shots at Gandhi family, Modi said they ran the country for four generations and are out on bail, that too for financial irregularities.

#PMtoANI: It is a fact that those considered first family, who ran the country for four generations, are out on bail,that too for financial irregularities. It is a big thing.A set of people,who are at their service,are trying to suppress such information and push other narratives pic.twitter.com/gXpPdHWmso

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2019

On loss in five state elections, he said Chattisgarh was a defeat for BJP, but the other two states did not show a clear majority.

#PMtoANI on loss in 5 states: Telangana and Mizoram, nobody gave BJP any chance. In Chhattisgarh a clear mandate was given, BJP lost. But in 2 states there was a hung assembly. Secondly,15 years of anti-incumbency was being fought by our people.We are discussing what was lacking pic.twitter.com/629OXQhRDV

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2019

He made it clear that any decision on bringing an ordinance on Ram temple can be considered only after the judicial process gets over.

In an interview to ANI, he suggested that the judicial process was being slowed down because Congress lawyers were creating "obstacles" in the Supreme Court.

"We have said in our BJP manifesto that a solution would be found to this issue under the ambit of the constitution," the Prime Minister said about the Ram temple matter when asked whether the Ram Mandir issue had been relegated as merely an emotive issue for the BJP.

The BJP, as articulated in its manifesto, wants building of a majestic Ram temple in Ayodhya. Recently, there has been a renewed pitch within the party as well as by its sister organisations in the Sangh Parivar for expediting the process of construction of the temple.

The Sangh Parivar organisations have expressed unhappiness over the delay in resolving the matter and there are demands for promulgating an ordinance, similar to the one issued on Triple Talaq, to facilitate construction of a temple.

The demand for ordinance has been articulated even by BJP's ally the Shiv Sena.

Asked whether the government could consider issuing an ordinance on Ram temple, the Prime Minister pointed out that the matter is before the Supreme Court and possibly in the final stages.

"Let the judicial process be over. After the judicial process is over, whatever will be our responsibility as the government, we are ready to make all efforts," he added.

The matter is slated to be heard by the Supreme Court on January 4.

Petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court for day-to-day hearing in the case.

The Prime Minister was asked why an ordinance cannot be promulgated to facilitate Ram temple construction when a similar step was taken to ban instant Triple Talaq.

In response, Modi said, "The Triple Talaq ordinance was brought after the Supreme Court verdict, in the light of Supreme Court verdict."

He was referring to the Supreme Court's ruling in 2017, banning the practice of Triple Talaq among the Muslims. Subsequently, the government issued an Ordinance and brought a bill in Parliament.

The bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha and is before the Rajya Sabha.

"Nobody can deny that those sitting in the governments in the last 70 years have tried their best to stall a solution to this (Ayodhya) issue," Modi said.

Targeting the Congress, he said it should "not create obstacles" and should let the judicial process to take its own course.

"Don't weigh it in political terms," Modi said, addressing the Congress.

"I beseech the Congress, for the sake of national peace and amity, they should stop its lawyers from stalling this (Ayodhya issue) in the court," he added.

The Prime Minister said all lawyers, including the Congress ones, should jointly head to the court and ensure that there is an early judicial verdict.

"In the court, Congress lawyers, who are creating obstacles, should stop. Let the judicial process take its own course," he said.

First Published:Jan 1, 2019 5:21 PM IST