BJP counters Tewari, says India has travelled from night to 'din'

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday countered Congress leader Manish Tewari's 'ache din' jibe, saying the leaders of the grand old party must at least acknowledge the fact that the nation has managed to travel from night to 'din' (day) under the efficient rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA regime.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Tewari, who is trying to contest the BJP's 'ache din' slogan, can keep his views as India is a democratic country.

"They are welcome to do so. But those contesting the slogan are at least agreeing with the fact that it is 'din' (day) and in two years we have managed to travel from night to day," he added.

Patra drew attention to the growth in Indian economy to justify his point.

"Although the Congress leaders should not overlook the economic growth of the country from a disparaging 4.5 percent during the reign of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh to 7.3 percent under the BJP-led NDA Government," he said.

Challenging the 'ache din' slogan, the Congress leader has in an article published in the English daily Asian Age shared that the current government has actually sunk and shrunk the Indian economy, which is growing at a derisory 4.5-5 percent annually.

The former union minister said the government's own economic numbers put out by the department of economic affairs tell a sordid story.

"Amid unparalleled agricultural distress across a third of the country agriculture grew by a measly 1.1 per cent in 2015-16. From April 2015 to February 2016, the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew by a measly 2.6 per cent only," Tewari wrote.

"During the same period eight core infrastructure sectors namely coal, crude oil, natural gas production, refining, steel, cement and fertilisers grew by only 2.3 percent," he added.

Tewari, a noted lawyer, shared that the exports and imports have been in a free fall for 18 months in a row out of the 24 months that this government has been in office.