Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expressed concerns over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India, labeling it flawed and predicting its failure. Speaking at the Hertie School in Berlin, Gandhi highlighted a clash of ideologies regarding the essence of India itself. He emphasized that many individuals, including himself, do not align with Modi’s vision and anticipate significant challenges and internal conflicts arising from it.
Gandhi pointed out a notable decline in India’s manufacturing sector under the BJP-led government, noting a decrease in the sector’s contribution to the GDP from 17% to 12%. He criticized the trend of outsourcing production to China, emphasizing its adverse impact on job creation and democratic stability in the long run.
The opposition leader highlighted the shift in global production dominance towards China and its implications for employment generation in countries like India, the US, and Germany. He underscored the importance of manufacturing, micro, small, and medium enterprises, as well as agriculture in driving substantial employment opportunities within India.
Advocating for reforms in the Goods and Services Tax regime and industrial policies to bolster domestic production, Gandhi also reiterated his disapproval of demonetization. He linked this policy move to the broader decline in the manufacturing sector’s contribution to India’s GDP, particularly affecting small businesses negatively.
