Union Finance Minister P.Chidambaram has hit out at those who were carrying out a disinformation campaign that there was no growth in the country under the Congress-led UPA regimes.
“Only those who have eyes but could not see and ears but could not hear were lamenting that there is no growth in the country and the country is suffering in poverty,” Mr. Chidambaram said.
Acknowledging that there was still poverty and that there was need for more growth, more industries and more employment, he said the argument that nothing has happened over these years and there was no growth in the country was absurd and deserved to be condemned.
“Open your eyes and see the growth,” he asked the adversaries.
“Those who carry out this negative campaign were acting against the interest of the country and they do not wish the country to be seen on the growth trajectory,” Mr. Chidambaram said after inaugurating the 15,000th branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) at Sooranam, near here on Saturday evening.
He said the SBI would not have come forward to open the branch in the village if there was no development or growth or circulation of money in the area.
Banks open branches expecting people to deposit money and seek credit, which indicated development and growth, he said.
He said when he left Tiruvarur on Saturday morning after completing the day’s first programme, he was one-and-a-half hours behind the schedule.
However, when he reached the function venue here, he was only 20 minutes behind the schedule, he said.
This was possible as he could travel fast thanks to world class national highways, he added.
