Sambit Patra counter-attacks Rahul Gandhi, says UPA followed core agenda of 'Corruption, Nepotism, Policy Paralysis'

New Delhi [India], September 1 : Appreciating the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the bounce-back of the country's economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra on Wednesday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on GDP, alleging that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) followed the core agenda of 'CNP' describing as "Corruption, Nepotism and Policy Paralysis".
Mentioning that India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 20.1 per cent in the April to June quarter (Q1 FY22) as compared to a contraction of 24.4 per cent in Q1 FY21, Patra took a dig at the Congress leader saying that Rahul Gandhi does not have a "clear knowledge" of the issues he addressed in his press conference today, adding that he can "never understand the real meaning" of GDP.
Patra's remarks came after Rahul Gandhi in a press conference coined a new acronym for GDP as "Gas Diesel Petrol" and said the Centre has till date earned Rs 23 lakh crore from the hike in fuel prices, suggesting that it is imperative for the government to bring out a 'new economic vision'.
Speaking to ANI after the Congress leader's press conference, Patra said, "Only yesterday we had historic news. For FY 2021-22, the Q1 growth rate of GDP was out, and they were phenomenal, whooping 20.1 per cent...This bounce-back in the pandemic time was possible only because of the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
The BJP leader further said, "Rahul Gandhi spoke about issues of which he didn't have a clear knowledge. He tried to redefine GDP in the wrong way. UPA Government followed CNP - Corruption, Nepotism & Policy Paralysis as their core agenda. They won't be able to understand the real meaning of GDP."
Attacking the central government over the hike in fuel prices, Rahul Gandhi said, "The Prime Minister says the GDP is rising. Then I realised what does he meant by GDP. Gas diesel petrol. In 2014, Narendra Modi ji had said that the prices of petrol and diesel are rising. In 2014, Rs 410 was the price of the cylinder, when the UPA left office. Today it is Rs 885, a rise of 116 per cent. Petrol was Rs 71.5/litre in 2014, today it's Rs 101/litre, a rise of 42 per cent. Diesel was priced at Rs 57/litre in 2014, it's Rs 88/litre today."
He further said, "The Centre has earned Rs 23 lakh crores from the GDP, not Gross Domestic Product but Gas Diesel Petrol. Now my question to the government is, where did they spend this Rs 23 lakh crores? The public should ask the government that where is the money which the Centre is snatching away from them going?"
Further questioning the government on the continuous fuel price rise in the country amid falling prices of gas and crude oil in the international market, the Congress leader further accused the Central government of "selling the country's assets".
"One could argue on this that the rise in prices of crude oil in the international market may be the cause of rising prices of petrol and diesel. But interestingly, when the UPA was in power in 2014, crude oil in the international market was priced at Rs 105 per litre, today it is Rs 71. It was 32 per cent more in 2014. In 2014, the international price of gas was Rs 880, today it is Rs 653, which is 26 per cent less. So, in the international market, the prices of gas and crude oil are declining, and on the contrary, they are sharply increasing in India. On the other hand, the country's assets are being sold," said the Congress leader.
Terming Centre's economic policies "hollow", the Congress leader said, "The economic policy that we were following from 1990 till 2012 stopped working in 2012. We were of the opinion that a new vision was needed, a new approach was needed. Narendra Modiji had promised that he will come up with a new approach. But this is not a new approach, instead, it is a hollow one. He introduced 'Make in India', is anything being made in India? He introduced demonetisation, did it benefit anybody?"
"People need to understand that a new vision is needed. In the 1990s, there was a catastrophic failure and after that, Congress gave a new vision to the country. The Prime Minister and the Finance Minister should talk to the experts and if not, we can send them experts who can explain what needs to be done for economic recovery," added Rahul Gandhi.