New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a meeting. (file photo) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a meeting. (file photo)

Responding to former union finance minister Yashwant Sinha’s criticism on the state of the Indian economy, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and it has been well documented. “The whole world admits that India is the fastest growing economy in the world. No one should forget this fact. In the matter of economy, in the international arena, India’s credibility has been established,” Rajnath Singh said.

Yashwant Sinha, who served in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet, wrote in an article for The Indian Express that the economy is on a downward spiral and blamed Arun Jaitley for “the mess the finance minister has made of the economy.” “I shall be failing in my national duty if I did not speak up even now,” wrote Sinha.

“I am also convinced that what I am going to say reflects the sentiments of a large number of people in the BJP and elsewhere who are not speaking up out of fear.”

Defending the government, Union Minister Piyush Goyal told news agency ANI: “Under leadership of PM Modi, India has become the World’s fastest growing economy for three years in a row. Some of the landmark reforms that this Government has brought in, are unprecedented.”

Earlier today, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is currently on a three-day tour of Gujarat, mocked the Narendra Modi-led government in a tweet. “Ladies & Gentlemen, this is your copilot & FM speaking. Plz fasten your seat belts & take brace position.The wings have fallen off our plane,” Gandhi tweeted this morning.

Former union finance minister P Chidambaram, at a press conference in New Delhi, warmly applauded Sinha for his article saying that “he spoke the truth about the economy”. He said those who are knowledgeable about the economy must speak and write without fear. “Darr ko chod do (leave fear),” he said. “Yashwant Sinha’s views coincide with our views. Congress had been saying this about economic management for long,” he added.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviving the UPA-era Economic Advisory Council, he said: “Reconstitution of economic advisory council by Prime Minister Narendra Modi islike putting band aid in several broken limbs.” “It will be a miracle if the govt manages to turn around the economy before the 2019 general elections,” he added.

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