NEW DELHI: In a bid to defuse opposition protests over the implementation of demonetisation and the distress it has caused, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has 'broad shoulders' to face the consequences of the move."So called seven-decade normal had to be disrupted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the broad shoulders to face the consequences of the decision," Jaitley said.Speaking at the Petrotech 2016, Jaitley took a dig at the Congress and backed PM Modi saying that the demonetisation was a harder option which would leave footprints behind as far as the future is concerned."PM had an option of doing what many others have done. There was an easier option but he chose the harder one," the minister said."Decision of this kind has pain in transition, which is regrettable but had been factored in," he added.Earlier, the Finance Minister blamed the Congress-led opposition for stalling Parliament over demonetisation and said the debate had begun and was happening in the House, but it was the opposition who has interrupted it."We were ready for debate and still are. The opposition wanted Prime Minister to be present in the house so the PM Modi has been regularly present," Jaitley had said in Rajya Sabha.Since the beginning of Winter Session of the Parliament, opposition has been demanding a debate on demonetisation along with Prime Minister Modi's participation in it.