BJP minister counters Rahul Gandhi's GDP jibe; terms it 'Gandhi, Digvijaya, Chidambaram'

Rebutting Rahul Gandhi's jibe against India's GDP, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday, coined a new term to GDP. He claimed that G stood for Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, D for Digvijaya Singh and P for P Chidambaram, as per Rahul Gandhi's definition. India has recorded a 20.1% in April-June 2021, based on a negative base and resurgent agricultural growth.

BJP slams Rahul Gandhi's GDP criticism

"For Rahul Gandhi GDP means G for Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, D for Digvijaya Singh and P for P Chidambaram. What does he know about GDP?," said Mishra. Rahul Gandhi downplayed the GDP rise calling it as "Gas Diesel Petrol" instead of "Gross Domestic Product".

Rahul slams GDP rise

On Wednesday, the Wayanad MP  claimed the Centre has earned Rs 23 lakh crore from the hike in fuel price till date. He suggested that it is imperative for the government to come up with a 'new economic vision'. Rahul Gandhi also pointed out that the fuel price was constantly rising in India even amid falling prices of gas and crude oil in the international market. 

Gandhi said, "The Prime Minister says the GDP is rising. Then I realised what does he meant by GDP. Gas Diesel Petrol. In 2014, Narendra Modi Ji had said that the prices of petrol and diesel are rising. In 2014, Rs 410 was the price of the cylinder, when the UPA left office. Today it is Rs 885, a rise of 116 per cent. He added, "Now my question to the government is, where did they spend this Rs 23 lakh crores? The public should ask the government that where is the money going?".

India's GDP in Q1

As per the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) data, India recorded a growth of 20.1 percent in the April-June 2021. In 2020, the GDP had contracted by 24.4 per cent in the April-June quarter 2020. Notably, India’s economy has still not returned to the pre-COVID level, as per a PTI report.

In value terms, the GDP stood at Rs 32,38,020 crore in April-June 2021-22, lower than Rs 35,66,708 crore in the corresponding period of the 2019-20 financial year.  “GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices in Q1 of 2021-22 is estimated at Rs 32.38 lakh crore, as against Rs 26.95 lakh crore in Q1 of 2020-21, showing a growth of 20.1 percent as compared to contraction of 24.4 percent in Q1 2020-21,” the NSO said.