Modi rebukes UPA record on economy

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday attacked the United Progressive Alliance government at the centre over its economic policies and "paralysis".

"Gold worth Rs.1 lakh crore has been imported into India. If this is the situation, how will our economy run? Our economy is being dominated by the black money economy," he said at a function here.

"Due to high inflation, the middle class is not able to invest in stock markets. What are the reasons that electronic goods and mobile phone imports are increasing? If medical equipment is being imported, one can understand. It is because of the policy paralysis that this has happened," he said.

The Gujarat chief minister, who is tipped to be the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, said: "Sufficient electricity is not being produced, as a result of which manufacturing is suffering."

"The nation is in darkness, we are in a huge economic crisis. Just look at Atalji's government's economic figures. You will be proud," Modi said, referring to the record of the National Democratic Alliance while Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister (1998-2004).

Attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Modi said: "The prime minister says money doesn't grow on trees. We in Gujarat say money is found in fields, in a labourer's sweat".