New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a blistering attack on the Congress and the UPA government, accusing them of presiding over a “rudderless and leaderless” administration with Sonia Gandhi wielding disproportionate power as a “Super Prime Minister.”
In her response during the debate on the white paper comparing the economic performances of the UPA and NDA governments, Sitharaman also criticized Rahul Gandhi’s actions in 2013 when he publicly opposed an ordinance proposed by the Manmohan Singh government. She labeled his behavior as arrogant and disrespectful to the then Prime Minister.
Highlighting the various scandals during the UPA regime and asserting her government’s success in steering the Indian economy away from vulnerability, Sitharaman attributed the root cause of mismanagement to a lack of effective leadership within the UPA. She specifically criticized Sonia Gandhi’s role as the chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC), characterizing it as an extra-constitutional authority that hindered governance.
Sitharaman claimed that the NAC, under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, held excessive influence, with numerous government files requiring its approval. She questioned the accountability of such power dynamics, emphasizing the need for transparent governance.
Moreover, Sitharaman drew attention to Rahul Gandhi’s public denunciation of the ordinance proposed by his own party, citing it as evidence of internal disarray and disrespect for institutional processes within the Congress. She criticized Rahul Gandhi’s behavior, labeling it as detrimental to the functioning of the government and highlighting contradictions within the opposition’s stance on institutional integrity.
The Finance Minister’s scathing remarks were made in response to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s dismissal of the government’s white paper as a collection of falsehoods and accused it of being more akin to an electoral manifesto. Chowdhury called for introspection within the party instead of resorting to constant attacks on political opponents.
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