Unnecessary aggression against Hindus in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, says FM

Attacking the state governments led by rival parties in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Sitharaman said, “(There are) many aspects in Kerala and Tamil Nadu… unnecessary aggression against Hindus, mocking them, taunting them, making fun of them but even then, not getting the desired result. In that, no one is taking out their anger in a common place but, yet, they (governments) stand out for their hatred.

So in this kind of an environment, we need states which are going to be similar in the way in which people and the state’s development takes precedence. Using public money for any kind of promises that are not sustainable through your budget, these are costing heavily for states. They take a very politically skewed argument that the Central government is not giving money to run the state… You make promises that are unsustainable. Somewhere, for all the advances that the southern states have made, today we see them unjustifiably taking decisions and steps that are not in the favour of the people looking to be part of the country’s development…”

Responding to a question if the recent peaks touched by the Indian stock market would sustain, Sitharaman said that the choice of the government and its policies would play a keen role in paving the road ahead. Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “pledged to make” India the world’s third biggest economy, she criticised Rahul Gandhi for making “promises that cannot be implemented”.

Urging people to not get carried away, Sitharaman said, “From the fifth position to the third… we will achieve it in the next few years and so Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged that in his third term he will achieve it. He is saying it with full confidence because all segments are doing well… Some areas are growing faster but the economy is raring to move fast and so government policies need to go in tandem. At this stage, how much ever you get carried away by (Congress) promises of Rs 1 lakh (for women of poor families) or apprenticeship– they are just fantasies that cannot be implemented. The cost of implementation has to be kept in mind.”

Maintaining that Rahul Gandhi was speaking of “throwing money to eradicate poverty as if he has a magic wand”, Sitharaman said that “fiscal responsibility” is important to avoid a deficit in the treasury. “You know the fiscal responsibility with which the PM has governed the country… When a deficit comes, you do not know how to go ahead… He (Modi) will never neglect any section that needs help but he will never throw money.”