Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 27 : Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya on Saturday strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his earlier "dead economy" remark, made in the context of US President Donald Trump's decision to impose retaliatory tariffs on India.
Siroya accused Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders of contradicting themselves by now taking credit for investments in Karnataka, particularly Foxconn's proposed investment, after previously portraying the Indian economy as failing.
He questioned whether multinational companies would invest in India without a supportive policy environment created by the Union government.
"My statement on how Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders, who were jumping around saying that the Indian economy was "dead", are now claiming credit for investment in #Karnataka. Can a multinational co. Invest in India without the Union govt. Creating a conducive investment climate?" Siroya wrote on 'X'.
Siroya said Rahul Gandhi was the first to endorse Trump's description of India as a "dead economy" during the tariff dispute, with other Congress leaders echoing the sentiment.
He alleged that Gandhi has repeatedly spoken negatively about India and Indian businesses during his foreign visits, yet now claims credit for job creation and investment in Karnataka without hesitation.
"When Mr. Trump started a tariff war and called India a "dead economy", the first person who rushed to endorse it was Shri. Rahul Gandhi. His minions in Congress repeated after him. Whenever he has gone abroad, he has spoken ill of India and Indian business. Now, without batting an eyelid, they claim credit for Foxconn's investment and job creation in Karnataka," said the 'X' post.
Siroya asserted that India's current investment attractiveness is the result of sustained efforts by the Modi-led NDA government over the past 12 years. He credited the government for maintaining fiscal discipline, ensuring economic stability, and fostering high growth, arguing that these factors are crucial for attracting global investors.
"If the NDA government under Modi Ji had not worked meticulously in the last 12 years to create a positive investment climate, maintain fiscal discipline and a high rate of economic growth, would any multinational company even consider any investment in India?
Stability for investment in India is offered by the Modi Ji-led NDA government. The Congress party and Shri. Rahul Gandhi's lack of common sense surprises me. Also, the legacy in Karnataka as a technology hub does not belong to Congress alone. Successive governments from the 1980s have made it their consistent policy to promote technology and nurture engineering talent," he wrote on 'X'.
He also noted that Karnataka's status as a technology hub cannot be attributed to the Congress alone, pointing out that successive governments since the 1980s have contributed to building the state's technology ecosystem and engineering talent base.
Further criticising the Congress, Siroya claimed that Karnataka has often lost potential investments to neighbouring states during periods of Congress rule. He suggested that a white paper would reveal how many companies chose to invest elsewhere during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's earlier term and the current one. He questioned whether the present state government has any economic vision beyond caste-based politics and social agendas.
Siroya expressed support for Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw's remarks on the Foxconn investment, quoting him as saying that India is transitioning into a "producer economy" in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision.
"However, surprisingly, whenever Congress has been in power in Karnataka they have lost investment to neighbouring states. If a white paper is released it will be clear how many companies chose to invest outside Karnataka during Shri. Siddaramaiah's first term as CM and now. Can Shri. Siddaramaiah's government claim any vision other than splitting up castes, promoting his Ahinda agenda and creating chaos by promoting urban- Naxals? I wholeheartedly support what Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw Ji has said with regard to the Foxconn investment: "We are becoming a producer economy as we implement our PM's vision," read the 'X' post.
Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwani Vaishnaw hailed Rahul Gandhi's praise for job creation at Foxconn's unit in Karanataka and credited the Congress government in the state for "setting an example by creating an ecosystem where manufacturing can grow".
Vaishnaw had said that the Congress leader has acknowledged "the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' programme.