New Delhi:
As the Sensex plunged 1700 points and the Rupee tumbled very close to 67/Dollar, the Congress hit at the Narendra Modi government, reminding the ruling BJP of its stinging criticism in a similar situation when it was in the opposition.
"The Rupee is on ventilator, we are in Emergency mode," said Congress spokesperson Ajay Kumar, borrowing words from the speeches of BJP leaders in the run-up to the national elections.
"The Rupee is on ventilator," the BJP's Rajnath Singh, now Home Minster, had said in 2013.
And Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then fronting the BJP's bid to unseat the Congress at the Centre, had said, "Manmohan Singh (then PM) may be the rupee's doctor but the rupee today is fighting for its life."
Today, the Rupee fell to its lowest since 2013 and the Congress did not miss the opportunity to strike back.
"When the Prime Minister and Arun Jaitley were in the opposition and such an economic situation prevailed, they criticised the former PM," Congress leader Anand Sharma said, adding, "The government claimed that there was a boom in the markets because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now who will take the responsibility?"
Amid the bloodbath on the markets today, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "There is not a single domestic factor in India which has either contributed to it or added to it. These are external factors. I have not the least doubt that this turbulence is transient and temporary in nature. The markets will settle down",
The Narendra Modi government stormed into power last May on the promise of turning around the economy and providing jobs to millions. The Congress was reduced to 44 lawmakers in the Lok Sabha.
"Export has fallen in the past several months. Employment is decreasing. It is clear that the government is expert in speaking and making promise but lacks in taking the right action," said Anand Sharma.