The government's GDP numbers were suspect, P Chidambaram said (File)
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre was taking "wrong steps" and was "completely clueless" on ways to boost growth.
Mr Chidambaram, while speaking to ANI, said the Centre has not reached out to the opposition in the last seven months.
"The government's GDP numbers were suspect. It has not even reached out to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on ways to tackle economic slowdown," he said.
"I don't see any green shoots that are visible. If they had anything yesterday, it will take six months to yield results. Since they have not done anything until yesterday, for the next six months you will not see the revival," Mr Chidambaram said.
He said the BJP-led government does not understand the nature of the problem and was in denial.
"They have taken many wrong steps. They have cut corporate tax, which is wrong. They have taken the wrong steps. They do not understand the nature of the problem. This has been pointed out to them several times. They are in denial. Let them remain in denial and do all the wrong things," he said.
"They will not meet the fiscal target of 3.3 per cent unless they get in creative accounting by pushing all liabilities to the balance sheets of public sector enterprises. If they fudge numbers, they can fudge it on the budget day, but within 24 hours analysts all over the world will find out where they fudged the numbers," he added.
Answering a query on the road map to boost the economy, the former Finance Minister said that it depends on who has got the hand on the wheel.
"If the current regime keeps its hands on the wheel, I think they are completely clueless and I don't think they know what should be done. They should hire talent. In fact, their numbers are suspect, what is the point of talking about numbers. Their number 4.5 per cent (GDP growth in the second quarter of this fiscal) is itself suspect according to many economists," he said.