UPA ruined Indian economy, 'White Paper' to highlight deficiencies: BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jayant Sinha said on Wednesday that the Indian economy was ruined by the end of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) tenure in 2014, adding that the 'White Paper' likely to be presented by the Centre in Parliament would highlight the deficiencies in each sector that existed at that time.

The government announced in the Union Interim Budget presented on February 1 that it would release a 'White Paper' to compare the economic performance of the Congress-led UPA government's 10 years with that of the BJP-led NDA government's 10 years.

Speaking to ANI, Jayant Sinha said, "It is necessary that we present before the people that how a change has set in into the economy. There were deficiencies in every sector. If the economy is shining today and going ahead rapidly, it is due to our policies & work in these 10 years."

Highlighting the economic mismanagement by Congress and the UPA during its tenure, Jayant Sinha, who was also the Minister of State (MoS) for Finance in the BJP-led Centre in 2014, said that it took a lot of effort for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive Indian economic growth.

"We (BJP-led Central government in 2014) had received the economy in a decrepit condition. Inflation was at its peak. We had to improve all of these. Today it is satisfying that due to the able and bold leadership of PM Modi and the constant efforts he made, we are not a Fragile Five but a Top Five economy. The Indian economy has become a shining star globally," he said.

The ongoing Budget Session of Parliament has been extended by a day till Saturday, February 10.

The last session before Lok Sabha polls expected to be held in April-May this year was started with the address by President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of two Houses on January 31. It was earlier to be concluded on February 9.

The decision comes amid buzz over the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government presenting a 'white paper' on the economy during the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

Earlier while tabling the Interim Budget Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Government will lay a White Paper on the table of the House "to look at where we were then till 2014 and where we are now, only for the purpose of drawing lessons from the mismanagement of those years".

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, stated that his party is prepared to address any papers the government brings to the House.

"Narendra Modi has Congressphobia. We are ready to fight. The government can bring a 'White Paper', Red paper, black paper, we have no problem. However, Mehul Choksi's papers should also be presented to the House," Chowdhury said.