BJP's Rajya Sabha MP, Subramanian Swamy has unrelentingly made digs at top financial ministry officials, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramaniam, and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das. However, this time, he hit a little too close to home by provoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing a US report on India's GDP and comments of eminent economist Joseph Stiglitz.
"Lutyen journos silent on US State Dept stating growth rate over-estimated and Stiglitz says growth more important than controlling inflation," he tweeted. In a veiled criticism of the Modi government, Swami talked about a report released by the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs of the US department of State. It said India has been "slow to propose other economic reforms that would match its rhetoric." This isn't the first time Swamy has raised a question about India's GDP growth and the new calculation methodology. "If I apply Samuelson-Swamy Theory of Index Numbers to India's GDP calculation or RBI interests rates, media will scream anti party activity!" he had tweeted.
One of his favourite targets lately has been RBI governor Raghuram Rajan. Swamy has repeatedly demanded he be sacked even before his term ends. With Rajan deciding against taking up a second term, we now know what he wouldn't miss.
