Manmohan Singh says demonetisation led to increase in imports from China

Manmohan Singh is in Gujarat to address traders and businessmen of the state, which is just weeks away from voting for its next government.

A day before the BJP government's planned celebration of 'Anti-blackmoney Day', former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched a scathing attack on Centre's twin blow - Demonetisation and GST.

Manmohan Singh is in Gujarat to address traders and businessmen of the state, which is just weeks away from voting for its next government.

Speaking on the impact of demonetisation and GST, Manmohan Singh said, "Unprecedented growth of imports by over Rs 45,000 Cr, a 23 percent increase in a year can be attributed largely to demonetisation, GST."

"In first half of 2016-17, India's imports from China stood at Rs 1. 96 lakh crore. In 2017-18, it increased to Rs 2.41 lakh crore," Singh said.

"The fear of tax terrorism has eroded the confidence of Indian business to invest," he said.

Not only economy, Singh also questioned PM Modi's dream project bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

" Does questioning GST and Demonetisation make one a tax evader?," Singh asked.

He resented government's attitude of suspecting everyone to be a 'thief or anti-national', low-level rhetoric is damaging to democratic discourse.

OneIndia News