CENTRE HAS CONFIDENCE IN CEA: FM
Seeks CEA Arvind’s dismissal as he had asked US to act against India over patents
After targeting RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday attacked chief economic adviser to the government Arvind Subramanian, referring to Dr Subramanian’s views on the Indian economy during his tenure with the International Monetary Fund and demanding that he be sacked.
However, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley backed the economic adviser, saying the “government has full confidence” in him.
The BJP, attempting to scotch speculation that Dr Swamy's statement had government or BJP backing, said the comments were Dr Swamy’s “personal views”.
The Congress dubbed Dr Swamy the “undeclared spokesman” of the PM and asked him to clarify the issue. Dr Subra-manian was appointed by the Modi government in 2014. Dr Swamy’s tirade comes in the wake of reports that Dr Subra-manian is in the list of probable successors to Dr Raghuram Rajan as RBI governor.
“Well, the government has full confidence in CEA Arvind Subramanian. His advice to the government from time to time has been of great value,” Mr Jaitley replied when asked.
After targeting RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday attacked chief economic adviser to the government Arvind Subramanian, referring to Dr Subramanian’s views on the Indian economy during his tenure with the International Monetary Fund and demanding that he be sacked.
In a series of tweets, Dr Swamy said, “Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF!! Sack him!!!.”
In a further tweet, the BJP leader wrote: “Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses? Jaitley’s economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC.”
He attacked the economic adviser, who is an NRI, saying, “Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions..... Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?”
However, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley backed his economic adviser, saying the “government has full confidence” in him. The BJP, attempting to scotch speculation that Dr Swamy’s statement had government or BJP backing, said the comments were Dr Swamy’s “personal views”.
Later, Dr Swamy said he was not speaking on behalf of the party. “I have never said I speak on behalf of BJP on AS (Arvind Subrama-nian), but as a nationalist shocked that a GoI (government of India) person would urge US Cong to fix India,” he tweeted.
To buttress his points about CEA, he tweeted Subramanian’s article of 2013 titled “Is the Modi miracle overrated?”.
Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF!! Sack him!!! — SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY, BJP MP