Congress: NDA Government is for "RSS ka Saath and BJP ka Vikas"

Azad also hit out at NDA government by saying the industrial growth rate has gone down from 7.4 per cent in 2015-16 to 5.2 per cent in 2016-17.

New Delhi, Jan 31: The Congress on Tuesday hit out at the Narendra Modi government, saying it has failed on all fronts, and is only a government of "RSS ka Saath and BJP ka Vikas".

"The President's address is not his personal speech but prepared by the government. In his speech, the government spoke about 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas'. It was just to garner votes. They turned it around to 'RSS ka Saath and BJP ka Vikas'," said Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Citing the Economic Survey, Azad said the industrial growth rate has gone down from 7.4 per cent in 2015-16 to 5.2 per cent in 2016-17 and the GDP growth is being projected at 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal.

"The Economic Survey says that the indirect taxes have increased by 34.8 per cent with excise duties growing by about 68 per cent and direct taxes by 10 per cent. But our assessment is increasing indirect taxes was because of hike in petroleum duty. Unemployment has also gone up," he added.

Azad also said the number of railway accidents have increased manifold in the past two years. "It was told in the President's address that for modernisation of railway, the highest ever capital outlay of Rs 1.21 lakh crore has been provided but in the last one year, the number of railway accidents that have taken place and the number of passengers who died were much higher than previous years," he said.

"In the President's speech, he talked about increase in ceasefire violation but no solution was given. In the last two years, the number of soldiers killed due to ceasefire violations has surpassed even the numbers in last 10 years.Casualties have gone up due to avalanches."

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a statement said the Economic Survey sought to submit an apology by speculating on the "possible benefits" of demonetisation. "This falsehood is exposed by the very fact that it omits demonetisation from the list of the Modi government's economic successes. Just like when demonetisation was proved a human and economic disaster, Modi shifted the goalpost to a cashless economy.

"The Economic Survey preposterously states that the aim of demonetisation was to lower real estate prices." "Overall, the Economic Survey makes clear that the bonanza from low crude oil prices is over and the government's luck is running out. As oil prices rise, there may be little fiscal space for significant government investment.

"With no private investment, and limited government investment, it will be a herculean task for the economy to revive. Economic Survey in past used to present a macroeconomic picture of the country. This time, Modi government has deliberately hidden those facts," Surjewala added.

IANS