Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram tore into a government he described as "clueless" about the ailing economy, at a Thursday press meet where he declared himself "strong in spirit" after spending over 100 days in prison.
Chidambaram said the government was stubborn and "mulish" in defending "catastrophic" mistakes -- ranging from demonetisation to "regulatory overkill" and "tax terrorism" -- and wrong to believe India's current economic problems are "cyclical" (as opposed to deep-rooted and structural).
The world's investors pay close attention to numbers, and "every number" points "in the direction of a floundering economy," he said.
'FM'S COMMENT ON ONIONS SHOWS GOVT MINDSET'
Chidambaram also attacked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for saying in Parliament that her family didn't eat onions -- this, at a time when consumers are struggling with the soaring prices of the key food staple.
"That shows the mindset of this government," he said.
"Even after 7 months into the fiscal year, the BJP government believes that the problems faced by the economy are cyclical. The government is wrong. It is wrong because it is clueless. It is unable to look for the obvious clues because it is stubborn and mulish in defending its catastrophic mistakes like demonetisation, flawed GST, tax terrorism, regulatory overkill, protectionism, and centralised control of decision-making in the PMO."
Also Read: Unnao rape survivor set ablaze by accused out on bail, shifted to Lucknow with 90% burns
- P Chidambaram, Congress, Former Union Minister
P Chidambaram was released last night from Tihar jail after being granted bail in the INX Media case by the Supreme Court. Today, he took part in a protest outside Parliament against rising onion prices, before holding a press conference at the Congress headquarters nearby.
The Congress tweeted updates from the presser with the hashtag #EkThiEconomy.
'KASHMIRIS DENIED BASIC FREEDOMS'
Besides commenting extensively on the state of the economy, P Chidambaram also expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir, who he said "have been denied their basic freedoms since August 4, 2019" -- the day before the region was stripped of its special status.
He said he wished to travel to Jammu and Kashmir if the government allowed him to.