Taking a sarcastic jibe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for saying that the finance minister of the country attributes inflation to the buying of gold, P. Chidambaram on Saturday said the nation has already received history lessons from the Gujarat chief minister, and was now being given the first lesson in economics by the latter.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Chidambaram said: "After his history lessons, Shri Narendra Modi has delivered his first lesson in economics."
According to an Indian Express report, Modi had said at a BJP rally in Jodhpur on Friday that, "The government is out to plunder your mangalsutra. The finance minister attributes inflation to buying gold. I am not as educated as him. I am here after selling tea and was born to a poor mother, but I know that inflation is not because of buying gold, but due to corruption."
Responding to Modi, Chidambram said: "I recall having said on many occasions that buying gold, which is almost entirely imported, worsens the Current Account Deficit (CAD). I don't recall saying that buying gold causes inflation. Anyway, all economists may take note of the new lesson."
Modi was addressing a rally in Jodhpur, Rajasthan on Friday, where he accused the Congress of being a government for the rich.
The rally was held at the Rawan Ka Chabutara ground of Jodhpur, which is incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's home district and assembly constituency.
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"The Supreme Court asked the government to give grains to the poor. The government did not do that. They let it rot and gave it to alcohol manufactures at cheap rates. Should wheat be used to fill the stomach of the poor or bottles of alcohol? A government cannot and should not be for the rich," Modi said.
About 60,000 people attended the rally.
He questioned the fact that why was India lagging behind even countries who were less developed than it some years ago. He attributted this to bad governance, which has distressed and annoyed the general public. As usual, he was also critical of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.