Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of undermining the achievements of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government and claiming that "his rhetoric is designed solely for shock value."
"If the criticism is to downplay India's achievements and to constantly underrate our performance, it stands out as a campaign in poor taste," Sitharaman told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
The opposition, led by the Indian National Congress, has failed to present a viable alternative model for governance, Sitharaman said. She also said the Congress party's ideological stance is confused. The party's formulation of ideas lacks clarity and coherence, and their proposed wealth redistribution policy delegitimises the hard work and earnings of individuals.
"The Congress party's past attempts at high income tax rates, such as a 90% tax, did not succeed in eradicating poverty," the finance minister said.
Sitharaman's comments coincide with the seventh and last phase of the world's largest election, taking place from April to June 1. Nearly 100 crore people were eligible to vote in the elections for 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament. To form a government, a party or a coalition needs a simple majority of 272 seats in the Lok Sabha.
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