Noted economist Bhagwati lauds Modi's governance, cautions against right-wing's divisive politics

New Delhi, Jan 12: Heaping praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his swift and result-oriented style of governance, India-born noted economist Jagdish Bhagwati on Tuesday, Jan 13, compared him with US president Barack Obama.

Delivering a lecture at Madhavrao Scindia memorial, which included former PM Manmohan Singh, former finance minister P Chidambaram and several UPA leaders, the Columbia University professor said that 2014 is the next cusp of revolution under Modi's leadership.

But the leader has also cautioned the government against the "divisive" issues being raised by the RSS and others members in the

which he feels could derail Modi's development agenda.

"I think the PM must be saying more things to hold these people back from capturing the imagination and (instilling) possible fear among large number of people. That can't be good for his development agenda and that is where a little push would be helpful," Bhagwati was quoted by Indian Express.

Bhagwati added that Modi will consolidate himself and is likely to open up the FDI in multi-brand retail sector in due course. He also added that the PM was committed to reforms and was moving fast on a number of areas.

"Traditional base of the BJP is shopkeepers. Now he (Modi) has got a wider constituency, and he may be able to move on. Whatever little discussion I had with him when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, there was nothing that he was against it. I think that will also fall in line in due course," Bhagwati was quoted by a TOI report as saying.

Earlier last year, the Padma Vibhushan recipient Bhagwati had said that he expects BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to open up the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail sector by "after about a year, year and a half" if he comes to office.

OneIndia News