New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the controversy surrounding the Tata Group, urging him not to create distrust and hostility among industrialists by politicising commercial and legal matters.
Sitharaman responded to Gandhi’s allegations that the Centre was undermining the Tata Group through a post on X. She called on the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha to stop bringing politics into every issue and cautioned against portraying commercial and legal matters as criminal acts without evidence.
The Finance Minister also accused Gandhi of repeatedly undermining the achievements of Indian industry and entrepreneurs. She questioned whether his latest remarks were aimed at spreading distrust among business leaders.
Criticising the Congress’s economic legacy, Sitharaman said the Licence-Quota Raj under previous Congress governments had restricted the growth of Indian entrepreneurs and pushed millions of people into poverty.
In contrast, she said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi views industries as a driving force for job creation and economic growth. Government policies, she added, are aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship, supporting businesses and increasing investment.
Sitharaman argued that political leaders should focus on constructive engagement rather than making what she described as baseless allegations for narrow political gains. She stressed that political parties, leaders, governments and institutions share a responsibility to strengthen industry, support farmers and secure the future of young people.
Referring to the Constitution, the Finance Minister said it guarantees justice to all citizens and that the judiciary has a responsibility to uphold it. She also said history would assess the approach adopted by the Congress and its former Prime Ministers towards the judicial system.
Concluding her response, Sitharaman urged Gandhi to stop finding fault with every issue and instead contribute constructively to the country’s economic development.
