Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched a scathing attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and wondered if the party had become “ideology-less” or whether “anti-Modism” was its only ideology.
In a blog post reacting to statements by Mr. Gandhi attacking the government in his speech at an OBC convention organised by the Congress, Mr. Jaitley said that he found “ no ideological pattern” in Mr Gandhi’s speeches but that “ignorance with anti-Modism” was a common thread. “The leader’s ill-informed instincts become the ideology. This can only happen to a party which becomes ideology-less; pushes itself to the fringe; is willing to act as a tail-ender to regional parties. All this because its only obsession is a person called Narendra Modi,” he said.
“Why does he believe that ₹2.5 lakh crore of bank loans have been waived? Is it because of his inability to understand that where performing asset is not serviced by the debtor, after 90 days it becomes non-performing asset. Its chances of recovery, as per RBI guidelines, decline. There is a shift in the column that takes place and the bank has to make provisioning on the basis that the possibility of recovery declines. But the debtor liability remains. There is no waiver,” he wrote.
“For a president of a national party not to understand this basic procedure of bank functioning should be a matter of concern to the entire party as also the country,” Mr. Jaitley added.
“In dynastic parties political positions are heritable. Unfortunately, wisdom is not heritable. It has to be acquired through learning,” Mr Jaitley wrote.
OBC debate
He also questioned what he termed the “Congress’ sudden love for the OBC community”.
“Rajiv Gandhi made a strong speech in Parliament against the Mandal Commission. Recently, the Congress party opposed the grant of constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes. They voted against the constitutional amendment in Parliament,” he said.
“It opportunistically supported reservation for the non-backwards. It impliedly wants to reduce the quota for the OBCs knowing fully well that the judiciary will not allow 50% on reservations to be waived and the new claimants would eat into the OBC quota,” he added.