Mayawati said the government should shed its rhetoric. (File photo)

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "size of the cake matters" remark, BSP chief Mayawati said Sunday the PM is talking about cake for people when a majority of them is reeling under the problem of "roti-rozi".

In a tweet, Mayawati said, "At a time, when a majority of population is reeling under basic problems of inflation, poverty, unemployment, illness, illiteracy and jobs and food (roti-rozi), the prime minister is talking about cake for them.

"This is the pride of power and despotism, by which the entire country is affected."

Her comments came a day after the prime minister dismissed as "professional pessimists" the critics of the Centre's target to achieve a $5-trillion economy within five years.

Addressing party workers in Varanasi, PM Modi said his government's Budget for 2019-20 lays down a roadmap for nearly doubling the size of the economy.

"Size of the cake matters. The larger the cake, larger pieces are what people will get. So we have set a target of making India a $5-trillion economy. Larger the size of the economy will be, the larger prosperity will it bring for the country," he said.

Mayawati also said the government should shed its rhetoric (jumlebaaji), and become serious towards the basic problems of the 130 crore people of the country.