BJP gave a lot to Yashwant Sinha, hurt by his language, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

Yashwant Sinha and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

Hitting out at Yashwant Sinha over his remark that he won’t watch silently the “cheerharan” of Indian economy, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said that the senior BJP leader was indulging in discussing “trifles” against the party which gave him so much.

“All possible posts, except that of Prime Minister, President and the (BJP) national party president were given to him. And today he is using such words for the party, and for such a leader who is a favourite across the world. I am really pained,” Prasad, Minister of Law and Justice and Information Technology, told the media at BJP state headquarters here.

Referring to Sinha’s comment on the economy, he said, “Unki is halki baat ka mujhe koi jawab nahi dena (I won’t reply to his trifle talk). The party made him finance minister, foreign minister… he came from another party, but the party made him Bihar BJP president and leader of the Opposition in Bihar. After his defeat in 2004 (General Election), he was sent to Rajya Sabha and was also made BJP national vice-president.”

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Replying to a question on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s recent statement in Amethi criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the state of the economy, Prasad said, “In the 10 years (of UPA), when an economist was the PM, there were reports of only 2G scam, Commonwealth Games scam, and coal scam. We are proud today that under Narendra Modi there has not been a single blot on the Indian government.”

Asked about layoffs in the IT sector, the minister said, “During the last three years of Modi government, 100 mobile manufacturing factories have come up in India. Now, a big surge is there in the start-up movement…. There will also be a new incubation centre at the GIFT city. Top IT companies such as TCS, Infosys and Wipro, have confirmed that they are hiring more.”

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Prasad also mentioned the name of the news channel represented by the reporter while replying to his question on lay-offs. “One thing you must know that India is a IT hub where a large number of people work in this sector, but those who are not skilled in the new technology are being removed. You are from NDTV right? There are layoffs in NDTV or not?…I differ with you (on the number of layoffs).”

On the Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe (Vikas has gone crazy) campaign, mocking the claims of development by the Gujarat government, he said, “I say only one thing: I pity them (Opposition) because the nation is mocking them in the elections. Gujarat BJP could have replied to their abuse in the same coin, but we want to lift the entire debate to a higher level.”