Narendra Modi, Arun Jaitley should take steps to revive economy: MK Stalin

Chennai: As the ‘failing economy’ debate takes centrestage, DMK Working President MK Stalin on Sunday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the economic slowdown and cited implementation of demonetisation and GST as reasons.

Referring to former Union finance minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha’s criticism in this regard, Stalin called for ‘corrective’ measures from the central government and accused it of doing nothing on the economic front despite majority in Parliament.

Even many in the BJP, who had initially voiced support to the move, were now saying demonetisation did affect the economy, he claimed and blamed the Modi Government for implementing GST even before the people could come out of the impact of the currency ban.

“The GST has reduced the growth rate from eight per cent during the UPA times to 5.7 per cent. When a party man (Yashwant Sinha) is saying such things, which is akin to self-assessment of the three-year-old government, BJP leaders are criticising him for penning the article,” Stalin said.

State was also suffering due to the slowdown, the opposition leader said, citing the textile and leather industries in Tirupur and Dindigul respectively.