NEW DELHI: Jean Dreze, eminent economist and a former member of the National Advisory Council during the UPA regime, was dropped from a high profile economics conference organized by the finance ministry.

Dreze, who has been critical of some of the measures of the NDA government, was invited to speak at the Delhi Economics Conclave on Friday.

“This is the invitation I received and accepted some time ago. On the train to Delhi (two days ago), I received a call from a functionary from the ministry of finance who explained, with some embarrassment, that I had been dropped from the programme and would not even be allowed to attend. No reason was given,” Dreze told TOI in an email.

“I am sure that this was not the CEA's (chief economic advisor’s) doing, we are on good terms and I don't think that he would be afraid to hear my views even if he disagrees with them. Needless to say, I am disappointed, and also concerned that the conclave has turned into a mutual appreciation society with everyone on the same side,” said the noted economist who has authored several books with Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.

Asked to comment on the issue, chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian attributed the move to drop Dreze to what he called “last minute adjustments” but said Dreze was free to attend the conference. He rejected the argument that the invitation to Dreze was withdrawn due to the views of the economist.

“As soon as we had decided, we informed Jean Dreze about it. Just want to make clear, this has nothing to do with views, because the finance minister himself personally called the Kerala chief minister. It is not based on views or anything and everyone is welcome to attend,” Subramanian told reporters.

Subramanian had invited Dreze to speak at the conclave in a letter dated September 25. “I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to speak at the conclave on the ‘political economy and the states perspective and preparedness’. Your presence will be of immense value to us and I hope that you will agree to participate,” Subramanian had said in his letter.

Dreze published his speech on a news portal.

“Learned economists and policy-makers are meeting at Vigyan Bhawan today to discuss the unfolding ‘revolution of social welfare policy’ led by the JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) trinity,” he said in the speech published on the portal.

“I was initially invited to address this economics conclave but the finance ministry informed me at the last minute that my presence was not required after all. I take this opportunity to share my views with the public rather than behind closed doors,” Dreze said, adding that “touching as this faith may seem, a single-minded focus on high-tech cash transfers as a foundation for social policy in India is fraught with dangers”.

