Launching a blistering attack on the government over the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the RBI Governor, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that he would play to the tunes of the government. They added that the government's move to appoint a bureaucrat instead of an eminent economist, will diminish the institution.
Former Finance Minister and Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said that Das was the second person to be appointed at a key post for defending the 2016 demonetisation move and it showed the government's insensitivity towards common people.
Earlier, the government had appointed Krishnamurthy Subramanian, a strong supporter of demonetisation and a critic of dynastic politics, as its CEA after Arvind Subramanian resigned.
"Government has appointed two persons who vocally supported demonetisation to two key posts. What does it say about the Modi government? Is government telling the people of the country 'we don't care what you think, we will do exactly as we please'?" Chidambaram said in a tweet.
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal also attacked the government on Das's appointment saying the new incumbent would play to the tunes of the government.
"Shaktikantadas our new RBI Governor... A bureaucrat not an economist... Defended demonetisation. The Pied Piper will play the tune and the RBI will follow. Inevitable outcome will be that RBI's reserves will be used for government doles. Yet another institution will diminish," he said in a tweet.
The government on Tuesday appointed Das, who as Economic Affairs Secretary steered the monetary situation post-demonetisation, as the new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, a day after Urjit Patel resigned amidst a tiff with the government on the central bank's autonomy.
Das' appointment came at a time when the government and the RBI are engaged in a tussle over several issues including transfer of the central bank's reserves, over which Patel had reservations after the government hinted at forcing him using provisions of the RBI Act.
Earlier in the day, Das assumed charge as the 25th Governor of RBI.
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