- Congress leader P Chidambaram said that the introduction of ₹2,000 note and its subsequent withdrawal has cast “doubt on the stability” of the Indian currency.
- BJP leader says the withdrawal of denomination is RBI’s decision.
- Sitharaman tried to highlight the ‘achievements and successes’ of their government, whereas Chidambaram strove to put forth the ‘failures’ of the Centre.
- The Indian economy is growing modestly at a much-reduced pace facing serious issues of unemployment, inflation, widening inequalities and stumbling welfare programmes,” said Chidambaram.
- We are continuously monitoring inflation and the prices of food grains, vegetables, fruits etc from different local markets all over India,” said Sitharaman.
- Sitharaman said that three years were lost in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and other issues and they had only six years to work fully.
Congress leader P Chidambaram said that the introduction of ₹2,000 note and its subsequent withdrawal has cast “doubt on stability” of the Indian currency, BJP leader says the withdrawal of denomination is RBI’s decision.
The denomination of ₹2,000 has emerged as the pitch for a new battle as both finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former finance minister P Chidambaram traded pot-shots at each other over its withdrawal from circulation. As it happens, this unfolded on the day the Modi government completed nine years in office at the Centre.
Both Sitharaman and Chidambaram were in the city and held press conferences. While the former tried to highlight the ‘achievements and successes’ of their government, the latter strove to put forth the ‘failures’ of the Centre. The senior Congress leader said the introduction and withdrawal of ₹2,000 notes has cast doubt on the integrity, and stability of India’s currency. The BJP leader hit back saying that casting aspersions on matters of this nature “does not augur well with the former finance minister”.
Sitharaman refused to link the decision of withdrawal of ₹2,000 note to the Modi government saying it is the RBI which takes decisions on currency and the Opposition leaders’ criticism of the Modi government on this issue has no meaning.
Chidambaram, firing another salvo, targeting the Centre for the way it has handled the country’s economy, said that the first three quarters of 2022-23 recorded growth rates of 13.2%, 6.3% and 4.4%, which is a declining trend. The Indian economy is growing modestly at a much-reduced pace facing serious issues of unemployment, inflation, widening inequalities and stumbling welfare programmes,” said Chidambaram.
Talking about the challenge posed by inflation, Sitharaman said that the Central government is monitoring price pressures and will not let the guard down. “Now, retail inflation has come down to 4.8% and the gross inflation is close to negative. We are continuously monitoring inflation. We are monitoring the prices of food grains, vegetables, fruits etc from different local markets all over India,” said Sitharaman.
While counting the achievements of the Modi government in the last nine years, Sitharaman said that three years were lost in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and other issues and they had only six years “to work fully”.
(With inputs from agencies)
