NEW DELHI: A day after the opposition and leading economists criticised the government over the new GDP back series that showed a slower pace of economic growth during the UPA regime and the role of Niti Aayog in releasing the data, the think-tank’s vice chairperson Rajiv Kumar said he is willing to debate the issue.“Hon. @PChidambaram_IN Ji, challenge accepted . Let’s discuss & dissect back series data,” Kumar said in a tweet in response to former finance minister P Chidambaram’s post in which he challenged Kumar on the back-series GDP data.“Niti Aayog has nothing to do with tabulation of data,” Chidambaram had tweeted. “I wonder if Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar will agree to a debate the data than telling journalists that their questions are ‘undeserving of an answer.’”The government released the new back-series GDP data on Wednesday, which revised lower the gross domestic product growth rates for 2006-2012, saying it had recalibrated the data to reflect a more accurate picture of the economy. The revised data showed average growth of 6.7% during the UPA’s term against 7.35% for the NDA regime so far.Kumar and chief statistician Pravin Srivastava had released the data, raising questions on the role of Niti Aayog in the new series, which was the mandate of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Former National Statistical Commission chairman Pronab Sen questioned Niti Aayog’s unusual move to release the GDP data, saying it was the prerogative of the Central Statistics Office. Kumar defended the involvement of Niti Aayog on Twitter.Even chief statistician Srivastava defended the move. “.@NITIAayog uses data extensively for making logical policy recommendations. The data is always based on assessment & quality check by eminent statisticians,” Kumar said in a post. “Therefore, it was logical for @NITIAayog to provide the platform for its release. Pronab Sen would know that MOSPI & Yojana Bhavan worked closely together,” Kumar said.Responding to Chidambaram’s accusation of not answering questions, Kumar tweeted: “I gave 3 hrs of detailed interview yesterday & it is somewhat disingenuous of you to say that I asked the media to not ask questions. Do give more coherent reasons for ur difficulty with new data.” Chidambaram said on Wednesday it was time for the government to wind up the Aayog following its hatchet job on the GDP back-series data.