Arun Jaitley's blog comes in reaction to Dr Manmohan Singh's interview in which he said the government is not doing enough to move the economy. (Press Trust Of India Photo)
New Delhi:
India has moved from 'policy paralysis' during the days of UPA to being a global 'bright spot' under the NDA, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said in a blog post directed at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"I am sure if Dr Singh would dispassionately analyse the present government, he would really realise India has a government where the Prime Minister has the last word, where natural resources are allocated without corruption through transparent process, where industrialists no longer visit North Block to push files/decisions, where environmental clearances are dealt with in routine and not stalled on sadistic or corrupt considerations," Mr Jaitley wrote in sharp criticism of Dr Singh's time as prime minister.
During the Congress-led UPA regime, Mr Jaitley and his party colleagues often targeted Dr Singh for playing second fiddle to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi with Narendra Modi, who was the Gujarat chief minister then, leading the charge against the UPA for alleged corruption and scams.
Mr Jaitley's post, "What Dr Manmohan Singh should advise his party", comes in response to the former prime minister's interview to the weekly India Today in which he said Mr Modi and the government were not doing enough to reach out to the opposition or to stir the country's economy.
"Former Presidents and Prime Ministers rarely speak, but when they do, the nation should listen to them with rapt attention...They are expected to be non-partisan, render constructive advice and at times send a powerful message even to their own political party to act in broader national interest," Mr Jaitley wrote.
Accusing the Congress of a turn-around on the Goods and Services Tax or GST law that is pending in Parliament due to the Congress's opposition, Mr Jaitley has asked whether the party's position is not guided by politics. "The economist in Dr Singh should advice his party that tariffs are not provided for in the Constitution. This is what (the) nation expects from the senior leaders and statesmen like former Prime Ministers," said Mr Jaitley on GST.
"I am sure if Dr Singh would dispassionately analyse the present government, he would really realise India has a government where the Prime Minister has the last word, where natural resources are allocated without corruption through transparent process, where industrialists no longer visit North Block to push files/decisions, where environmental clearances are dealt with in routine and not stalled on sadistic or corrupt considerations," Mr Jaitley wrote in sharp criticism of Dr Singh's time as prime minister.
During the Congress-led UPA regime, Mr Jaitley and his party colleagues often targeted Dr Singh for playing second fiddle to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi with Narendra Modi, who was the Gujarat chief minister then, leading the charge against the UPA for alleged corruption and scams.
Mr Jaitley's post, "What Dr Manmohan Singh should advise his party", comes in response to the former prime minister's interview to the weekly India Today in which he said Mr Modi and the government were not doing enough to reach out to the opposition or to stir the country's economy.
"Former Presidents and Prime Ministers rarely speak, but when they do, the nation should listen to them with rapt attention...They are expected to be non-partisan, render constructive advice and at times send a powerful message even to their own political party to act in broader national interest," Mr Jaitley wrote.
Accusing the Congress of a turn-around on the Goods and Services Tax or GST law that is pending in Parliament due to the Congress's opposition, Mr Jaitley has asked whether the party's position is not guided by politics. "The economist in Dr Singh should advice his party that tariffs are not provided for in the Constitution. This is what (the) nation expects from the senior leaders and statesmen like former Prime Ministers," said Mr Jaitley on GST.
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