Govt. has to hide its own reports: Rahul

‘NSSO finding that consumer spending has fallen not published’

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses the CPP General Body Meeting, at Parliament House in New Delhi, Saturday, June 1, 2019. (PTI Photo) (PTI6_1_2019_000050B)

Congress leaders on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a report that claimed that consumer expenditure by households has fallen for the first time in 40 years, prompting the government to withhold the report of its own agency.

“Modinomics stinks so bad, the Govt has to hide its own reports,” former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted, tagging the news report.

In a series of tweets, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of pushing people into poverty. “This govt is making history by driving people into poverty: while rural India faces the dire consequences of their policies, the BJP ensures that their corporate friends become richer by the day. Usually governments work towards eradicating poverty, not towards eliminating data,” tweeted Ms. Vadra.

“For the first time in 40 years, consumer spending in rural areas has decreased by 8.8%. Grain consumption down by 20.4%, pulse consumption down by 15.4%, edible oil consumption lower by 14.6% and the financial situation of the common man is bad. So, is this the dream of BJP’s New India?”asked Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in a separate tweet.