The BJP on Wednesday hit back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s statement on “Ease of doing business” rating saying he was ignorant about economics and Finance Minister Arun Jaitely saying the NDA had replaced “ease of doing corruption” under the UPA with the “ease of doing business”.
On campaign trail in Bharuch, Gujarat, Mr. Gandhi earlier in the day said, “Arun Jaitley ji is working on the basis of some foreign institution; India does not need a certificate from a foreign institution. Jaitley ji said ease of doing business has seen improvement in India. Is he living in a real or a dream world?”
India stepped up 30 places to reach 100 rank among 190 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2018 report .
Union IT and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here said, “Should I presume that he has absolutely no knowledge about what world organisations like the World Bank have to say about India’s economy. Does he know that it is not an event sponsored by the government or the BJP but a study undertaken by World Bank. Do you want to say the World Bank is working under pressure.”
“The difference between the UPA and the NDA — The ease of doing corruption has been replaced by the ease of doing business,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted on Wednesday.
Mr. Gandhi in the last few days has upped the attack on the BJP government, calling demonetisation “out and out disaster” and saying GST was a “torpedo” which destroyed the economy.
‘Highest jump’
Mr. Prasad attacked Mr. Gandhi saying he was making “fun of the economy” without doing any home work. “India has been in the range of 130-140. In the last two years, we made it to 131 and 130 spot. This year, we have jumped 30 points to 100,” he said. Lauding the government, Mr. Prasad highlighted that it was the highest jump any country made in the ranking.
“He doesn't do any home work, anyway. Those who do it for him also don’t have their facts correct,” he added.
The BJP leader said Mr. Gandhi had always remained mum on the scams that happened during the Congress rule. He also mocked at Mr. Gandhi’s likely elevation to head the Congress, saying he owed it to “the family he belongs to”.
