New Delhi: Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar is learnt to have told the Election Commission that he spoke against Congress’s Nyay scheme as an economist and not as part of the policy body.
In his reply to a show-cause notice submitted on Tuesday, Kumar is also learnt to have said that he can speak out his mind as an economist on important issues concerning policy and economy.
He said that his remarks should not be construed as the stand of Niti Aayog.
On March 27, the poll panel had sought Kumar’s response on his remarks in which he had attacked Congress over minimum income guarantee promise.
The EC had felt that since Kumar is a bureaucrat, his remarks were prima facie violative of the model code.
As he was abroad he had sought time till April 5 to respond. But the EC gave him time till April 2.
Kumar had accused the Congress of promising the moon to win elections.
He had also tweeted, “The proposed income guarantee scheme fails the economics test, fiscal discipline test and execution test.”
"The proposed income guarantee scheme fails the economics test, fiscal discipline test and execution test" #MinimumIncomeGuarantee #GDP #IndiaEconomy #FiscalDeficit #Budget https://t.co/Br2cqGkYo9
— Rajiv Kumar ?? (@RajivKumar1) March 26, 2019
In another tweet, Kumar had claimed that “true to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will bust fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented.”
True to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will burst fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented. (1/2)#MinimumIncomeGuarantee @PMOIndia @FinMinIndia
— Rajiv Kumar ?? (@RajivKumar1) March 25, 2019
Kumar is reported to made similar remarks in an interview also.
At a press conference here on March 25, Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as minimum income if his party comes to power.
Also read: What Rahul Gandhi missed out when he promised higher GDP expenditure on education, NYAY
After Indira Gandhi’s 97.75% Income Tax rate, is this the Gandhi brand of Economics. By the way Economic Reforms were ushered by the non-Gandhi Congress. Chidambaram, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Is it possible to multiple wealth by dividing it? Which country in the world has removed poverty through legislation? Any way as the Bible says “the road to hell is paved with Good Intentions”. This will be worse than giving Pakistan Rs 50 crore at the time of Partition.
But why is NYAY required? Did not Shri Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother Bharat Ratna (self-given), Smt Indira Gandhi give the clarion call of “Garibi Hatao” way back 1971? After that, most of the time the country has been under Congress rule, either directly or in coalition. How come there is still poverty in the country? That is the moot question.
Niti Ayog has no business to comment on manifesto of political party till elections are over and nobody asked his opinion. If he wants make a comment as economist, first let him resign from policy making body. He wants to have cake and eat it too. Another bhakta.
Please give informed opinions. Indian law does not allow dual citizenship and a person holding a citizenship of another country ceases to be a citizen of India and cannot take part in electoral politics. The MEA would know if Rahul has citizenship of another country, he is under Z category indisn govt security. The NYAY scheme will not destroy the economy, its obvious. The recipients will spend that money, it will create more benefits for more people that way, and some of that money will come back to the govt in the form of GST and other taxes in the hands of all those down the cascade
Pappu has dual citizenship….he has bo harm in messing this country if it goes off track…Indira gandhi gave slogan of garibi hatao…& Congress couldnt do this in 50 years…& here ppl are complaining that modi didnt do anything
He is right. Neither this scheme is implementable nor this will be any good for the economy since it destroys the labor market. Indian people are so gullible that they can believe in any fairytale as reality.
Meaning no disrespect, but gentleman is crossing a Lakshman Rekha. He has already come to the notice of the ECI. During the period when the MCC is in force, the Niti Aayog should be neither seen nor heard.
Rajiv Kumar to this day has found nothing wrong with demonetisation, a scheme that broke the back of the poor and small industries that gave employment to the poor. He has no moral right to “evaluate” any schemes that are meant for the poor.
What Niti Ayog has to do with an election manifesto of a political party during the process of elections. The Nyay scheme seems to be quite practical in its approach. It is not like promising Rs. 15 lakhs of black money recovered from the illegal money stashed in foreign banks.
First illuminate us on how you calculated the revised GDP figures. Don’t expound on subjects you have no knowledge about.