Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of undermining India's achievements while targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre. Speaking at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Samavesha in Bengaluru on Sunday, Sitharaman said Gandhi had repeatedly projected a crisis that did not exist. According to reports from PTI, she alleged that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha "ignores" India's achievements even in the face of major crises such as Covid-19 and the conflict in West Asia. "Every time the Leader of Opposition speaks in the Lok Sabha, it is only to decry everything, undermine the achievements of the people of India, thinking that he is undermining Prime Minister Modi or the central government," she said in her address to party functionaries.
Sitharaman rejected Gandhi's assessment that the country was headed for a breakdown or major crisis in the coming weeks. As reported by PTI, she said Gandhi constantly claims that everything is going to crumble in the next few weeks and that a big disaster is awaiting the country. However, the Finance Minister emphasized that "there is no disaster awaiting India." She noted that India's growth position was reflected in gross domestic product (GDP) data as well as assessments by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "On the contrary, quarter after quarter, year after year, India is the fastest growing economy," she underlined, clarifying that it is not the government claiming this but the GDP data and IMF assessments that support this position.
Addressing the West Asia crisis, Sitharaman highlighted that the Prime Minister had ensured there was no disruption in fuel supply despite the conflict. According to PTI, she explained the practical challenges involved in shipping fuel from West Asia, a region critical to India's energy requirements. The Finance Minister's comments came as the BJP used the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Samavesha to highlight the Modi government's 12 years in office and project India's economic record as evidence of resilience through global disruptions.
The remarks build on the BJP's broader response to Gandhi's criticism of the government's economic management. As reported by PTI, Sitharaman had earlier criticised his warning about an impending economic storm linked to West Asia, saying a responsible Opposition should not engage in fear-mongering. On Sunday, she framed Gandhi's criticism as an attack not merely on the Prime Minister or the central government, but on the achievements of the people of India. The event was organized to mark 12 years of BJP rule under Modi's leadership, with the Finance Minister emphasizing that the Opposition's constant criticism serves only to undermine India's genuine achievements.
