Revised GDP numbers a bad joke: Chidambaram

Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday described Niti Aayog's revised GDP numbers as a "bad joke" and a result of a "hatchet job".

Chidambaram also questioned whether it was the Niti Aayog's job to revise GDP numbers.

"The earlier numbers were calculated by the National Statistical Commission. Has the commission been disbanded," the senior Congress leader asked hours after the Niti Aayog and Central Statistical Organisation shaved off one percentage point from the economic growth figures during the UPA period.

Recalibrating data of past years using 2011-12 as the base year, they estimated that India’s GDP grew by 8.5% in 2010-11 and not at 10.3% as previously estimated.

"Niti Aayog's revised GDP numbers are a joke. They are a bad joke. Actually, they are worse than a bad joke. The numbers are the result of a hatchet job," Chidambaram said.

"Now that Niti Aayog has done the hatchet job, it is time to wind up the utterly worthless body," he said.

Chidambaram said former chief statistician Pranab Sen was absolutely correct. "Niti Aayog has nothing to do with tabulation of data," he said.

"I wonder if Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar will agree to a debate the data than telling journalists that their questions are "undeserving of an answer"," Chidambaram said.