Gujarat wall: Modi Govt trying to hide poverty behind wall after concealing data on economy, alleges Congress

The Congress on Tuesday accused the government of hiding data, including that of "lowest" consumption levels in 40 years, and asked it to make it public in order to find solutions to problems plaguing the economy.

The opposition party took a jibe at the 'Gujarat model' development, accusing the BJP government in the state of trying to "hide poverty" by constructing a wall in Ahmedabad ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit there later this month.

"We live in times where: GDP is measured in tons, Citizen rights in volts, Nationalism in decibels, Poverty in height and length of the wall. This is BJP's 'New India'!," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.

Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said playing 'hide and seek' has become the favourite game of the BJP government as it is concealing data pertaining to GDP numbers, inflation, unemployment and "now lowest ever consumption".

"Favourite game of the BJP government is ‘hide and seek’. Hide farmer suicide statistics. Hide unemployment figures. Hide the truth of demonetisation. Hide real GDP figures. Hide poverty behind the 'wall'. And now hide the lowest consumption in 40 years," he said, adding the government has "launched a war" against all sections of society including women, students and farmers.

Vallabh alleged that 16 out of 23 sectors in manufacturing are in poor condition, but the government continues to be in a denial mode.

He raised certain points elaborating upon his view:

• National Statistical Commission (NSC) official survey report showing a dip in consumer spending for the first time in over four decades will not be made public, the Government had decided against releasing the report.
• A drop in consumer spending for the first time in the last 40 years clearly implies that poverty has gone up for the first time in many decades. In contrast to this 27.1 Crore people moved out of poverty between 2005 to 2014. This is the largest reduction by any country as per UNDP.
• This is the first time that the government has officially decided to not release a survey report after its completion.
• In contrast to RBI’s growth projections, Moody’s slashed its 2020 growth projections for India from 6.6% earlier to 5.4%. With such growth forecasts and retail inflation is at its 6 years highest at 7.59% (January 2020) and industrial production down by 0.3% (December 2019), where are we heading?
• The growth in income is 9 years lowest which will further reduce because of skyrocketing inflation.
• Saving will further reduce because of inflation (Food Inflation is 14.2 %)
• The prices of essential products will further increase as growth projections are coming down and inflation is going up.
• If the top line and the bottom line goes down the revenue targets of government will have a big deficit (Even RBI Contingency Reserves can’t fill the same). This will also lead to a reduction in social sector schemes.
• All of the above points will lead to a record unemployment level.

"We ask the government that data should not be hidden, but made public so it can be discussed as India is capable of battling all odds," he said.

"Those talking about the Gujarat model are now building walls to hide the poverty there. If a disease is to be treated, you have to accept that it is there in the first place. But BJP does not accept its failures," he said while taking a dig at the BJP government over reports of construction of a wall in Ahmedabad to allegedly hide a slum in Ahmedabad.

The Congress leader said the country has had the lowest growth in last nine years and this will definitely reduce savings as well, because inflation is 7.95 per cent.

"BJP's favourite rating agency Moody's has projected India's growth estimate for 2020 to be 5.4 per cent, against the government's claim of showing 6 to 6.5 per cent growth in the year," he said.

Vallabh said poverty increases when consumption is low and claimed that UNDP data for 2005-2015 shows that during this period the highest eradication of poverty (271 million people) has taken place in the country and the credit for this goes to MNREGA.