Hard work more powerful than Harvard: PM Modi

Modi mocks economists who had predicted GDP downturn

MAHARAJGANJ: After demonetisation noted economists had come down heavily on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government saying that it would have a disastrous effect on the country’s economy and impact GDP growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday mocked those economists saying: “hard work is more powerful than Harvard” as the latest GDP data shows demonetisation did not affect growth rate, rather the figures improved.

“On the one hand are those (critics of note ban) who talk of what people at Harvard say and on the other hand is a poor man’s son who through his hard work is trying to improve the economy,” he said at an election meeting here.

“In fact, hard work is much more powerful than Harvard” he said without elaborating.

His remark came against the backdrop of Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen terming demonetisation as a “despotic action that has struck at the root of economy based on trust”.

The government had on Tuesday pegged GDP growth at a higherthan-expected 7.1 per cent for 201617 despite the cash blues, which was higher than China’s 6.8 per cent for Oct-dec period of 2016, making India retain the tag of the world’s fastest growing economy.

Coming back to electoral politics in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said the electorate has already ensured BJP’S victory in the first five phases and now they would give surplus votes as “gift and bonus” in the remaining two rounds.

“I request the voters of the state to give the rest of the two phases as bonus to the party. This is similar to the chillies and coriander leaves, which the vegetable seller gives to the buyer as bonus,” he said drawing applause from the crowd.

A few days back the Prime Minister had spoken of the possibility of a hung assembly in the state, saying SP and BSP were waiting for such an opportunity for bargaining, prompting Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to comment that after dreaming of 300 plus seats, Modi was now talking about fractured verdict.