Not GDP, Global Misery Index correct metric for Indian economy today: Cong

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the NDA-BJP government has mutilated the soul of India and trampled upon the country's economy which can be measured today in terms of Global Misery Index (GMI) and not the GDP.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said at the cusp of the Union Budget for the year 2020-21, one cannot help but say there was a time five years ago when the country's economy used to be measured in terms of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and that the GDP of India grew by 1 per cent or 2 per cent against an average of 8.2 per cent during 10 years of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) when "190 million people were lifted up from poverty".

"Today, if you were to measure the economy of India, the GDP would be a completely incorrect barometer. The correct metric to measure the economy of India today is the Global Misery Index. So, rather than the GDP, the more appropriate measure for the Indian economy is the GMI - the Global Misery Index which was conceptualized by an American Economist applied to the American economy.

"It is important to recall that the hate that led to the murder of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi is the hate which rules this country today," he said.