‘Centre and state govts stood together in face of crisis’: Congress leader Anand Sharma

India made a comeback in the second quarter after the first quarter was the worst for the economy as the GDP was adversely hit, Congress leader Anand Sharma said.

Congress leader and former Union commerce minister Anand Sharma on Monday said India had increased its infrastructure in recent years and congratulated the Centre and state governments for working together towards it. “India has increased its infrastructure and I congratulate central and state governments for it as they worked together for it. The country stood in the face of this crisis,” he said.

Anand Sharma was a part of the group of 23 dissenters who wrote to party president Sonia Gandhi earlier this year, seeking a complete overhaul of the organisation within Congress. (ANI Twitter)

India made a comeback in the second quarter after the first quarter was the worst for the economy as the GDP was adversely hit, he said. “We hope that in the remaining two quarters as well, the balance of recovery will be maintained,” he added.

The Indian economy had contracted by 23.9% in the April to June quarter (Q1 FY21), while it contracted only 7.5% in the quarter ending September. Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi have taken frequent jibes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the state of the economy.

“Under PM Modi, India’s economy is officially in a recession for the first time ever,” Gandhi had said on Twitter. “More importantly, 3 crore people are still looking for work under MNREGA. Economy cannot be ordered to grow by diktats. PM needs to first understand this basic idea,” he added.

Sharma was a part of the group of 23 dissenters who wrote to party president Sonia Gandhi earlier this year, seeking a complete overhaul of the organisation within Congress. On Saturday, Gandhi held a meeting of all dissenters, including Sharma, an aim to end the ongoing crisis

“She wants to bring all the warring leaders together and end the current impasse in the party. She wants all the leaders to work in close coordination with Rahul Gandhi in strengthening the party,” a Congress functionary told Hindustan Times, requesting anonymity.

Last month, Sharma had to issue a clarification and amend his tweet when it was construed as praise for PM Narendra Modi. “Prime minister Shri Narendra Modi visit to Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadilla was a recognition of Indian scientists and their work to produce the vaccine for COVID-19 That alone will lift morale of frontline warriors and reassure the nation,’ Sharma had tweeted after the PM’s visit to vaccine centres.

He later ‘regretted’ the error. “Regretting the error in our earlier tweet where the lines got misplaced, resulting in some avoidable confusion.,” he had tweeted.