New Delhi: In the wake of BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Subrmanian Swamy's repeated attacks on RBI governor Raguram Rajan which has triggered speculations over his second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the issue of reappointment of Rajan was an administrative subject and it should not be an issue of interest of the media.
“I don’t think this administrative subject should be an issue of interest to the media,” Modi said.
“Besides, it will come up only in September,” he told The Wall Street Journal, referring to the three-year term of Rajan which ends in September.
“Do you support the reappointment of Mr Rajan, the central bank governor?” the Prime Minister was asked.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised Rajan for being “perfect” in explaining to him complex economic issues and said there was similarity in thinking on both the sides.
Stating that Rajan would explain implications of RBI’s policies in “just three-four slides”, Modi had said that he must have been a very good ‘teacher’ in the past.
The PM gave this statement last year when there were reports of misunderstanding between government and Rajan
As an outspoken RBI Governor, Rajan has expressed his views on host of issues, including intolerance and has even described India as ‘one-eyed king’ in the land of blind in reference to the country’s high economic growth.
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has levelled allegations against Rajan including of sending confidential and sensitive financial information around the world and asked the Prime Minister to sack him immediately.
The BJP leader also accused Rajan of publicly disparaging the Modi government and alleged that he is a member of a US dominated group” that was set up to defend America’s dominant position in the global economy.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said RBI and the government are in continuous dialogue and that relationship will continue.
Jaitley also said that he does not approve of “personal comments” against anyone including the RBI Governor.
