BJP, Congress spar over Raghuram Rajan joining Rahul for Bharat Jodo Yatra

Congress' Pawan Khera said that the entire Narendra Modi cabinet cannot match Rajan's abilities

With former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday walking with Rahul Gandhi as part of Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently traversing Rajasthan, the BJP slammed the economist.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said Rajan fancies himself as the next Manmohan Singh, and his commentary on India's economy is "coloured and opportunistic", which should be "discarded with disdain".

1

The Congress shot back, with its spokesperson Pawan Khera stating that the entire Narendra Modi cabinet cannot match Rajan's abilities. Khera said the country could have been saved from the disaster of demonetisation, if the Union cabinet had consulted people like Rajan.

BJP's foreign affairs department head Vijay Chauthaiwale tweeted, "One former RBI governor became head of govt and country lost ten precious years. Thanks to Modi, India will not repeat that mistake. RRR (Raghuram Rajan) can walk from Delhi to Chicago."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed Rajan joining the Yatra, as it symbolised the Congress vision of a strong and sound economy being a combination of growth and welfare. Khera said the PM has himself, on some occasions, praised Rajan. The former RBI governor has been a critic of aspects of the Modi government's handling of the economy.

(With inputs from PTI)