The Congress and the BJP on Thursday engaged in a war of words after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi mocked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s claims on the economy saying his medicines have no strength to correct it.
Maintaining that the economy was in the ICU due to GST and demonetisation, Rahul said mockingly, "Dr Jaitley's" medicines were ineffective. Countering the Congress VP, BJP leader and Union Minister Mahesh Sharma dubbed Rahul an "expert on childish statements".
Rahul in a tweet earlier in the day had said, "Dr Jaitley, the economy is in the ICU because of note ban and GST".
Reacting strongly to the criticism , Sharma questioned Rahul's standing within his own party. He was speaking on the sidelines of a PHD Chamber Of Commerce event here from where Rahul too continued to attack the Government and the Prime Minister.
Sharma claimed the Indian economy is doing great and the country is getting global praise for both the decisions-- demonetisation and GST.
"Even within his own party, how much acceptance does he haveIJ In fact people are even saying if you want the BJP to win somewhere then just send Rahulji there, the BJP will win on its own," the Minister said.
Taking a dig at Jaitley, Rahul had tweeted a doggerel, "Aap kehtey hai aap kisi sey kum nahi/ magar aapki dava mein dum nahi (You claim you are no less than the others, but your medicines have no strength)."
Sharma said Rahul's elevation to the post of Congress president is being delayed because of differences of opinion within the party.
Continuing his attack, Congress Vice President later said rising unemployment in India was 'MMD: Modi Made Disaster'.
Rahul used the 112th Annual Session of PHD Chamber of Commerce platform here to launch a scathing attack on the Modi Government. "Rising unemployment in India is a 'MMD: Modi Made Disaster' and after 3 years of NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government, India's expectations are shattered," Rahul claimed, while adding:"China creates 50,000 jobs per day against Indian rate of 458, but no amount of growth is good enough if it isn't accompanied by jobs."Rahul also attacked the Modi government saying, "Start Up India is welcome for the economy, but it cannot be accompanied by shut up India."
He further asserted that people don't trust the Modi-led central government. "Business thrives on trust. Business is about creating harmony. The truth is that the trust in this government is dead. For some reasons, the PM and his Government is absolutely convinced that every single person in this country is a thief," he said.