PM Modi lashes out at critics questioning India's economic growth

PM Modi Saturday lashed out at critics questioning positive developments in the country, including the robust growth in GDP, on his govt’s watch as congenital pessimists and fault-finders, asserting the “power of truth” will eventually overwhelm the “campaign of lies”.

With the economy racking up a series of positives, including the quarterly GDP growth of an impressive 7.8% and Japan Credit Rating Agency upgrading India, PM said, “Those who have pushed it into the bracket of fragile five cannot digest this.” He added, “They are like the perennially disgruntled uncle in the family who faults everything good and for whom the glass is never full.” Modi used the colloquial “naraaz fufa” in an oblique reference to Congress and others who have questioned the veracity of the growth numbers.

Speaking at the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce, he emphasised that those raising questions are precisely the same set who opposed each of his policy initiatives — from Jan Dhan Yojana for financial inclusion to the Make-in-India push. He also pointed out that India clocked impressive growth despite challenges of the wars in West Asia and Europe and geopolitical factors, which had led detractors to prematurely celebrate his downfall.

The PM added that his opponents did not factor in the blessings of people which have always helped him tackle crises. Though he did not take names, he primarily had Congress in the crosshairs, with a reference to BJP’s “Jhooth Ki Goonj” campaign against Rahul Gandhi’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj”. “‘Satya ki Hoonkar’ (power of truth) will prevail against ‘Jhooth Ki Goonj’ (campaign of lies),” said Modi. With his “dimagi Naxal” swipe during his Independence Day address continuing to elicit strong reactions from his critics, he doubled down on his barb. “I gave homeopathic pills in the form of ‘dimagi Naxal’ and all the ‘dimagi Naxals’ came crawling out. People are seeing the true colours of those abetting this disease,” the PM said.

The speech was marked by the PM making an effort to connect with Gen Z. His use of ‘OG’ resonated with students as Modi talked about UPA govt. “These people draw pleasure from the common and poor citizens of the country running around them. They operated through this ‘mai-baap’ culture for decades. But Modi is standing like a rock in front of them,” he said.

It was in SRCC that Modi had delivered his speech in Feb 2013, which had virtually launched his prime ministerial campaign months before BJP named him as its choice. That speech had in a way generated a wave, Modi said, noting that he had then chosen to lay out his vision. “The country is now more secure socially and economically,” he said.