Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday took a swipe as Union Minister Nitin Gadkari calling him ‘master chef’ over his remarks on the then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh's 1991 economic reforms.
Ramesh tweeted, “On 16 September, the Finance Minister said that the economic reforms of 1991 were half-baked. Yesterday, MasterChef Gadkari cooked them up and lavished praise on Dr. Manmohan Singh's 1991 economic reforms. I think she will be able to digest it now.”
Gadkari heaps praises on Manmohan Singh
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said the country is indebted to former prime minister Manmohan Singh for the economic reforms. India needs a liberal economic policy with the intention to provide its benefits to poor people, Gadkari said while speaking at TIOL Awards 2022 event.
The economic reforms started by Singh as the finance minister in 1991 gave a new direction to India as it ushered in a liberal economy, he added.
"Liberal economy ke karan desh ko nayee disha mili, uske liye Manmohan Singh Ka desh reeni hai (The country is indebted to Manmohan Singh for the liberalisation that gave a new direction)," Gadkari said.
He recalled that he could raise money to build roads in Maharashtra when he was a minister in Maharashtra in the mid-1990s due to economic reforms initiated by the former prime minister. Gadkari asserted that liberal economic policy is for farmers and poor people.
“Aadhe-adhure reforms”: Niramala Sitharaman
Speaking in September at an event, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the 1991 economic reforms undertaken by the then Congress government were “aadhe-adhure reforms” (half-baked reforms), where the economy was not opened in the right way but as per the strictures imposed by the IMF.
Also Read: Gadkari heaps praises on Manmohan Singh: 'India indebted to former PM for economic reforms'
