Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey dismissed the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures on Monday, saying the numbers are not gospel like the Bhagavat Gita or the Bible. Nishikant Dubey also said the GDP figures would not be of any use in the future.

The BJP MP's statement dismissing the GDP numbers has come two days after the official data showed India's GDP growth hitting an over six-year low of 4.5 per cent in July-September 2019.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Nishikant Dubey asserted that sustainable development and happiness of a common man is more important than the GDP numbers.

"GDP 1934 mein aaya issey pehle koi GDP nahi tha. Keval GDP ko Bible, Ramayan ya Mahabharat maan lena satya nahi hai aur future mein GDP ka koi bahot zyada upyog bhi nahi hoga [There was no GDP before 1934. Trusting GDP numbers as the words of the Gita, Bible, Ramayan or Mahabharat is not the truth. GDP would not be useful in the future]" Nishikant Dubey said.

Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP in Lok Sabha: GDP 1934 mein aaya issey pehle koi GDP nahi tha...... Keval GDP ko Bible, Ramayan ya Mahabharat maan lena satya nahi hai aur future mein GDP ka koi bahot zyada upyog bhi nahi hoga. pic.twitter.com/MVF4j07KF9 ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2019





Terming the GDP numbers as "irrelevant", Nishikant Dubey said, "Aaj ki nai theory hai ki sustainable economic welfare aam aadmi ka ho raha hai ke nahi ho raha. GDP se zyada important hai ke sustainable development, happiness ho raha hai ke nahi ho raha [The new theory is if the sustainable economic welfare of a common man is happening or not. Sustainable development and happiness are more important that the GDP numbers]"

India's GDP growth hit an over six-year low of 4.5 per cent in July-September 2019, dragged mainly by a deceleration in manufacturing output and subdued farm sector activity, according to official data released on Friday.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was recorded at 7 per cent in the corresponding quarter of FY 2018-19. In the previous quarter of the ongoing fiscal, the economic growth was 5 per cent.

This GDP growth data for the September 2019 quarter is the lowest since January-March of 2012-13, when it was registered at 4.3 per cent.

According to the data released by National Statistical Office (NSO), the gross value added (GVA) growth in the manufacturing sector contracted by 1 per cent in the second quarter of this fiscal from 6.9 per cent expansion a year ago.

As the GDP numbers were announced, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the growth rate of 4.5 per cent was "unacceptable and worrisome". He urged his successor Narendra Modi to set aside "deep-rooted suspicion" of society and nurse India back to a harmonious, mutually trustworthy society that can help the economy soar.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also said the lower GDP growth rate of 4.5 per cent was as predicted but warned that third-quarter will be worse.

"As predicted widely, GDP growth in Q2 has come lower at 4.5%. Yet the Government says 'All is well'. Q3 will not be more than 4.5% and in all likelihood will be worse," Chidambaram said in a tweet posted by his family on his behalf.

(With PTI inputs)