Modi government short-selling the country: Congress

New Delhi, Dec 30: The Congress on Wednesday launched an all-out attack on Narendra Modi government, saying it has failed to revive the economy, its style was authoritarian and it was short-selling the country as no tangible gains were visible from its diplomacy.

Addressing a year-end press conference here, Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said the nineteen months of Modi government have been marked by "unaccountable centralization of power", and this "authoritarian style of functioning has resulted in breakdown of the structures of governance".

"On economy front, the government is clueless how to revive the economy. We are not doing well in any sector," he claimed.

Sharma alleged that the government's mindset was of perpetual confrontation with the opposition and accused Prime Minister Modi of not keeping the opposition informed on issues of national interest and strategic import.

"Insulting and belittling the political opponents, pursuing politics of vendetta and selective targeting, would justifiably lead one to the inference that this government does not believe in bipartisan consensus on issues that concern India's national interests," he said.

On foreign policy, Sharma said Modi has surpassed his predecessors in engaging with India's strategic partners and other countries, but a tangible outcome was still awaited.

"The prime minister and the government are shortselling the country and there are no tangible gains visible as of now by his form of diplomacy," he said.

"Diplomacy and statecraft require gravitas and seriousness in engaging with leaders of other countries. Equally important is the need of consistency and predictability in engaging with neighbouring countries," he said, adding "hype, photo opportunities and high profile events cannot be a substitute for serious diplomacy".

Sharma, who is party's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, accused Modi of brazening out allegations of corruption and acts of omission and commission against his ministers and BJP chief ministers, while the political atmosphere has been vitiated in "furtherance of BJP and Sangh Parivar's divisive agenda."

Accusing the government of failing to live upto its promises, he said it has chosen "to create a smokescreen making boastful claims" on the economy.

"The purpose is to mislead the people and hide its failures by trumpeting false successes and creating larger than life mirages," he said, noting "GDP growth has been almost flat, investment sentiment is poor and there has been a sharp escalation in the debt to GDP ratio".

He also accused the government of having "messed" the economy despite getting windfall advantage of a historic low in prices of international crude.

Accusing Modi of being indifferent to farmers' problems, Sharma said the social security net created by the United Progressive Alliance government is sought to be torn apart.

IANS