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BJP pushing India’s economy down a deep abyss: Chidambaram
Follow the ‘southern model, especially that of Tamil Nadu was his prescription for change and to arrest this hurtling down.
Continuing his tirade against the BJP-led government at the Centre, Congress veteran and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday warned that there is no way for the country to recover from the economic slowdown if the party continued in power.
“They are pushing the economy down a deep abyss. The GDP forecast has come down from 8% to 4.5%. But, former chief economic adviser to the government Arvind Subramanian had put it at 3.5%. The country’s economy is going on a tailspin,” Chidambaram told the media on his arrival at the airport in Chennai after his release on bail in the INX Media case.
He was accorded a rousing reception at the airport with party functionaries and cadre thronging the airport. Out on bail, he is scheduled to leave for his native Sivaganga.
Earlier, the Congress veteran had accused the Centre of being clueless about the economy and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had left it to his ministers to indulge in ‘bluff and blister’ about the state of the economy. Further, he had charged Modi with being ‘unusually silent’ on the economy.
Keeping the heat on the government and Prime Minister Modi, the Congress leader said under the BJP rule, the country is being pushed towards a regressive, backward and right wing fascism with suppression of individual freedom.
“Freedom of expressions and thought is now being crushed down ruthlessly. As I am speaking now, 75 lakh people in the Kashmir valley are denied of their freedom. Freedom cannot be seen in separation as as yours and mine. If I cannot protect yours, I cannot safeguard mine. The nation is pushed down the path where it is moving towards regressive, backward right wing fascism,” he warned.
“Follow the ‘southern model’, especially that of Tamil Nadu,” is his prescription for change and to arrest this hurtling down.
“The south has steadfastly rejected the BJP. And it is Tamil Nadu that had resolutely stopped its advance. And it is the state where the BJP does not even have a toehold. Only when other states follow the example of Tamil Nadu, there is scope for change and it will come,” he said.
Responding to a question, the Congress veteran blamed the Uttar Pradesh government of Yogi Adityanath for leaving the state as a killing field of women.
“Uttar Pradesh remains as a killing field of women,” he said when asked about the death Unnao rape survivor after being set on fire by the accused.
Further, he pointed out that not only UP, many state governments including Tamil Nadu have not spent the allocations earmarked under the Nirbhaya Fund to carry out measures for women’s safety.
“As Finance Minister, I made a budgetary allocation of Rs 3,100 crore for the Nirbhaya fund. But, many state governments, including Tamil Nadu, have not utilised the allocations made to them,” he noted.
On his incarceration, Chidamabaram reasoned that it was intended to dismantle his confidence and destroy his health.
“They succeeded for 10 days when my health deteriorated. But, they cannot destroy my firmness or steadfastness. With the court’s intervention, I have recovered,” he said.
