Jailed Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said only god can save India’s economy after Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey claimed that gross domestic product numbers would soon lose its importance.
During a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the Taxation Law Amendment Bill on Monday, the Godda MP had said that the GDP numbers should not be made “a gospel like the Bible or the Mahabharata”. “Measures of sustainable development and happiness are more important than GDP,” he had said. Figures released last week showed that GDP growth slumped to a six-year low in October even as industrial output contracted.
“GDP numbers are irrelevant, personal tax will be cut, import duties will be increased,” tweeted Chidambaram who is in jail in connection with cases of corruption and money laundering. “These are BJP’s ideas of reforms. God save India’s economy.” Chidambaram’s Twitter handle is currently being managed by his family.
Amid the ongoing slowdown, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Centre would consider reducing personal income tax rates. She said people who earned their living, paid their taxes and took care of businesses were valued by the government.
On Monday, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had also taken a dig at Dubey. “God save the people from new India’s novice economists,” Surjewala had said.
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