Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday asked whether the Modi government's target of making India a USD 5 trillion economy would bring any real change as 85 per cent of the country's resources are still in the hands of 15 per cent select few.
He also asked whether people want a forward-looking nation or a backward-looking one and be content remembering the country's past glories only.
The AAP leader was speaking on 'What will be the Picture of Future India' organised here.
"In the Union Budget, the government announced making India a USD 5 trillion economy in the next five years. Jubilations and celebrations marked the announcement and those who did not celebrate were criticised," he said.
"I have no doubts that India will become a USD 5 trillion economy, but not just because the government says so, but because I believe that the countrymen will make it so," he added.
"Today, we are a USD 2.7 trillion economy and very close to achieving the USD 5 trillion target. Ten years back, we were USD 1.2 trillion. But when you are asked to celebrate, question arises what changes shall we see in the country in this economy, as 85 per cent of the resources are still in the hands of 15 per cent few people," he said.
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"Will this situation get corrected in the USD 5 trillion economy or remain the same?" he asked.
"We have to decide whether we want to be a forward- looking nation or remain content remembering our past glories. We have two options before us, and I want to see my nation to be forward-looking. It depends on you (people) what to choose as what we will collectively decide will become our destiny," he said.
"Will the USD 5 trillion economy be forward-looking or backward-looking? Because our problem is that we spend most of our time in praising the past glories of our country," he said.
Sisodia said there was a need to work in the fields of education and healthcare in order to bring real difference in the lives of people, rather than celebrating the USD 5 trillion economy target.
"The aim of a religion should be spreading peace and harmony and not disharmony. Women should be given respect not just in books, but in real life. The government and elections should be a medium and not an end. Farmers should be able to live in dignity...This is the kind of India we need," he said.
"We need to question the above factors as the dream and enthusiasm of the USD 5 trillion economy is lacklustre and incomplete," he said.