'Tall claims but all lies': DMK defends PTR’s critique of BJP

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK has rushed to the defence of its minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and said that the statistics provided by the BJP members about India’s growth story were only lies.

Defending Thiaga Rajan’s statement questioning the credentials of BJP leaders to criticise the Tamil Nadu government led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, the DMK on Tuesday said, “The statistics provided by BJP greenhorns about India’s growth are mere lies. They are listing out statistics without evidence to claim that they have steered the country on the path of growth.”

Borrowing the statements of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and BJP MP Subramanian Swamy belying Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP’s claims about Indian economy’s growth, DMK party organ ‘Murasoli’ said, “They (BJP) came to power by promising to repay the country’s debt. But, the country’s debt has increased from Rs 52 lakh crore to Rs 152 lakh crore. They captured power by promising reduction in petrol and diesel prices.

Petrol price has increased from Rs 55 per litre to over Rs 100. Domestic LPG cylinder price rose from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100. They promised to increase the rupee value against the US dollar. Value of the Indian rupee has increased from Rs 60 per US $ at the time of BJP capturing power (2014) to Rs 76 per US $ now. This is the growth story of the BJP. But, they make tall claims.”

“Is Palanivel Thiaga Rajan not right in asking what credentials do the people who have destroyed the Indian economy so much to advise the Tamil Nadu government?” argued the stinging editorial titled “Two alarms” published on Tuesday.

Citing the statement of Subramanian Swamy, the editorial said, “Subramanian Swamy, who is a member of the group, has mocked it as untrue. Swamy said that there is no question of the Indian economy going into recession because it went into recession last year. Swamy is not an ideological enemy of the BJP. A friend. Even he could not tolerate it.”

Also borrowing the statements of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, the DMK referred to the alarm sounded by him after the recent monetary policy review meeting and wondered, “How does the Union Finance Minister or BJP members intend to respond to it? Shaktikanta Das is not a member of the opposition. He is the governor of the RBI.” The Murasoli editorial also referred to the remarks of former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan to criticise the BJP’s claims about the Indian economy.