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Updated: Mar 12, 2020 20:34 IST

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday expressed concern at the slowdown of the Indian economy and said that the nation’s economy had been destroyed by the BJP government in power at the Centre.

“In 2008, there was a similar shock wave. The Indian economy was protected by our policies. We can see what is happening to the stock market. The economy has been destroyed by the Modi government,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament.

Referring to the Yes Bank crisis, the Congress leader said, “You’re taking legitimate money from the State Bank of India and trying to save Yes Bank. I am seeing a monumental tragedy unfolding here.”

Watch | ‘Like a tsunami’: Rahul Gandhi blames PM Modi for India’s economic slowdown

“What we have seen is only the beginning of a tsunami, things will get worse. Prime Minister Modi is not speaking a word on the grim shape of the economy, while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman does not even understand the economy,” Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also accused the Prime Minister of not doing enough to tackle the spread of the novel coronavirus as the number of infected cases climbed to 73 on Thursday. “Coronavirus is seriously affecting the economy. It is already too late and the Central government should take measures to minimize the damage caused due to the pandemic,” he said.

“Narendra Modi is sleeping at the wheel,” Gandhi said on the government’s reaction and efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The Congress leader demanded to know what kind of action the BJP-led government would take to mitigate the damage caused by the disease. “The PM should explain what his strategy is to get us out of this mess. I have tweeted in the past few months regarding coronavirus, post which the government got into some action. It’s too late but we need to start taking some action to prevent any further damage that is likely to happen,” he said.

A day after former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party; Gandhi said that Scindia had forgotten his ideology and had moved on since he was apprehensive about his political future. He also added that the former Congress leader would not get any respect in the BJP.

“Jyotiraditya Scindia is an old friend of mine, but he forgot his ideology as he was apprehensive about his political future. There is a difference between what Jyotiraditya Scindia is saying and what is in his heart,” Rahul Gandhi said.

A day after quitting the Congress, Scindia joined the ruling BJP on Wednesday in the presence of its president JP Nadda and took a dig at his former party for “denying reality” and “not acknowledging” new thoughts or new leadership.

Scindia has been named the BJP’s Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh.