BJP hits back at Rahul Gandhi over 'dead economy' remark as GDP grows 7.8%

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday launched a sharp counterattack against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, citing India's robust economic growth in the first quarter of the current fiscal year to dismiss his criticism of the government's handling of the economy.

Official data showed the economy expanded at a year-on-year rate of 7.8% in the April-June quarter, a figure the ruling party said underscored the strength of the country's economic fundamentals despite global headwinds, including the West Asia conflict and elevated energy prices.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the GDP numbers reflected "strong economic management" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. He contrasted India's performance with that of several other major economies, noting that Canada grew at 1.5%, Germany at 1%, the UK at 2.1%, and the US at around 2% during the same period.

Prasad demanded that Gandhi apologise for his recent remarks describing the Indian economy as "dead" and warning of an impending "economic tsunami." He accused the Congress leader of relying on "cheat-speak" and failing to do his homework.

"Now, a growth rate of 7.8% is in front of you. Do you have some shame?" Prasad asked, adding that Gandhi appears to have taken a "contract to compromise and weaken the morale of the people of India."

The BJP leader said the GDP figure carried special significance given that the quarter coincided with disruptions in global supply chains and oil movement caused by the Gulf crisis. He credited contributions from manufacturing, trade, construction, and the services sector to the growth, attributing the performance to the central government's policies.

Prasad also highlighted the contrast with the UPA era, asserting that India was moving from being part of the "Fragile Five" economies to becoming a major world economy under the current dispensation.