Former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha on January 19 came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government saying that this was the first government after Independence which has been playing “mischief” with the developmental statistics.
Addressing the Opposition rally in Kolkata, Mr. Sinha who quit the BJP recently, said, under the present regime while praising the government was desh bhakti (patriotism), criticising it is desh droh (sedition).
“After Independence this is the first government which has been presenting decorated and inflated developmental statistics to befool people,” Mr. Sinha, who served as Finance minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, said apparently referring to the Niti Aayog downgrading UPA-era growth rate.
Mr. Sinha, who was in a committee to find solution to the Kashmir problem said when he had suggested to talk to the cross-section of people in the environment of love, he was branded a “Pakistani agent”.
From the dais itself, he asked National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah whether he spoke wrong on this count, to which the the NC leader nodded in negative.
Mr. Sinha made fun of the Modi government’s slogan of sabka saath sabka vikas and said the apt slogan would be sabka saath sabka vinash .
He said now he is left with no personal desire but to see that this “anti-people” government is ousted from power.
