Sharad Pawar said technology projects in the country should be more feasible. (File photo)
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday voiced his concern over economic slowdown and unemployment in the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime and said the situation was a result of moves like demonetisation and GST roll-out without adequate preparedness. He also said the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project was "impractical" adding that technology projects should be more feasible.
"The decisions of demonetisation and GST taken by the prime minister without adequate preparedness has dealt a heavy blow on the country's economy," Mr Pawar said.
"Also, I think a bullet train is required between Mumbai and Delhi or Delhi and Kolkata or Mumbai and Chennai. A bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is impractical. Maharashtra has barely got 4 stations (to be touched by the bullet train), while the maximum stops are in Gujarat," he said.
Mr Pawar, however, was quick to add that he was not against the project's benefits to Gujarat, but only wanted to point out that it would not benefit Maharashtra.
He further said that Railway Minister Piyush Goyal should have put more thought into the project and how it would benefit the two states.
"I thought he would have more knowledge about Mumbai's local trains' issues as he belongs to the city. Lal Bahadur Shastri had resigned after a train accident. I expected the same action from the railway minister (Goyal) but it did not happen," he said at a press conference.
A video clip was also played at the press meet, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen saying that a bullet train is to showcase the country's strength.
Commenting on the issues faced by Maharashtra, Mr Pawar said his party would take a call on launching an agitation over the loan waiver for farmers.
"The chief minister has said that farmers will get a loan waiver by Diwali. But, if that does not happen, we will start an agitation after November 5. There will be a meeting in Aurangabad on November 5 in this regard. We will take the final call at the meeting," he said.
The NCP chief claimed that the total outgo due to the loan waiver announced by the government would not exceed Rs 12,000 crore because "most farmers will not be eligible for the scheme due to the government's impractical norms".