PM Modi Hails 7.8% GDP Growth, Takes Aim at 'Echoes of Lies'
PM Modi praised India's 7.8% Q1 GDP growth, criticised detractors, and advocated for 'wed in India' and reduced gold purchases.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded India's economic performance, citing the 7.8% real GDP growth recorded for the first quarter of the financial year. In a video message shared on social media, he attributed the expansion to the collective strength and hard work of the nation's workforce.
Without naming anyone directly, the Prime Minister took a swipe at critics, saying that while the world faces uncertainties, India is progressing rapidly. He remarked that some individuals are spreading pessimism and an "echo of lies" (jhooth ki goonj), a phrase seen as a pointed reference to the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron ki Goonj' student outreach programme.
The BJP also highlighted a past social media post by Rahul Gandhi in which he had described the Indian economy as "dead," contrasting it with the current growth figures.
Addressing the nation from Kyrgyzstan, where he is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, PM Modi advocated for a 'Swadeshi' approach to sustain the economic momentum. He specifically urged citizens to avoid unnecessary foreign travel and to consider holding destination weddings within India, promoting the mantra of 'wed in India'.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister advised against the unnecessary purchase of gold, suggesting that promoting domestic goods and services would contribute to building a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) for future generations.