Modi Government Completely Clueless on Boosting Growth, Has Not Reached out to Opposition, Says Chidambaram

By Prashant Sood New Delhi [India], Jan 4 (ANI): Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government at the Centre was taking "wrong steps" and was "completely clueless" on ways to boost growth.Chidambaram, while speaking to ANI, said the Centre has not reached out to the opposition in the last seven months when the economic "crisis is deepening"."The government's GDP numbers were suspect. It has not even reached out to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on ways to tackle economic slowdown," he said. "I don't see any green shoots that are visible. If they had anything yesterday, it will take six months to yield results. Since they have not done anything until yesterday, for the next six months you will not see the revival," Chidambaram said. He was responding to a question about reports in the media that there were signs of green shoots in the economy.He said the BJP-led government does not understand the nature of the problem and was in denial. "They have taken many wrong steps. They have cut corporate tax, which is wrong. They have taken the wrong steps. They do not understand the nature of the problem. This has been pointed out to them several times. They are in denial. Let them remain in denial and do all the wrong things," he said. "They will not meet the fiscal target of 3.3 per cent unless they get in creative accounting by pushing all liabilities to the balance sheets of public sector enterprises. If they fudge numbers, they can fudge it on the budget day, but within 24 hours analysts all over the world will find out where they fudged the numbers," he added.Answering a query on the road map to boost the economy, the former Finance Minister said that it depends on who has got the hand on the wheel."If the current regime keeps its hands on the wheel, I think they are completely clueless and I don't think they know what should be done. They should hire talent. In fact, their numbers are suspect, what is the point of talking about numbers. Their number 4.5 per cent (GDP growth in the second quarter of this fiscal) is itself suspect according to many economists," he said. The former Finance Minister said that it was not for him to suggest ways of boosting the economy. "They should tell us what they propose to do and ask us for our comments. They are not all masters to ask us to stand up and answer my question. You should tell me what you are going to do and answer my questions. Have they consulted us? Have they called in the last seven months when the crisis was deepening, have they called a single meeting of all parties or at least the principal opposition party. Or at least the former Prime Minister, they have not," Chidambaram said. "It is the government's duty to reach out to the opposition and ask for comments on their proposals," he added. (ANI)

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