Rijiju tells Rahul Gandhi: Criticise govt, don’t belittle India
The BJP on Sunday launched a sharp counterattack against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of repeatedly undermining India’s global economic standing, after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju invoked remarks by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to rebut the Congress leader’s criticism of the Modi government.
Rijiju cited Musk’s assessment of shifting global economic power to underline India’s rising stature and warned Gandhi against what he described as a pattern of disparaging the country on international platforms.
“Criticising the government is a democratic right, but do not disparage India. Never belittle India’s achievements,” Rijiju said, stressing that national interest must come before political opposition.
The minister was responding to Gandhi’s attack on the 2026 Union Budget, in which the Congress leader claimed the government had failed to address unemployment, farmers’ distress and shrinking household savings. Gandhi described the budget as one that “refuses course correction” and is “blind to India’s real crises.”
His remarks drew particular attention because they echoed US President Donald Trump’s recent description of India as a “dead economy” — a phrase that has sparked outrage across the political spectrum.
Rijiju countered Gandhi’s narrative by pointing to Musk’s public comment on global GDP trends. Sharing IMF-based data, Musk had noted that China and India together are projected to contribute 43.6 per cent of global real GDP growth in 2026, with India alone emerging as one of the world’s leading growth engines.
“The balance of power is changing,” Musk wrote, a comment widely interpreted as recognition of Asia’s economic rise and India’s central role in it.
The BJP seized on Musk’s remarks to argue that India’s economic trajectory is being acknowledged globally, even as opposition leaders seek to paint a picture of decline at home and abroad.
India’s growth story has also been reinforced by the International Monetary Fund, which in January raised its forecast for India’s FY26 growth to 7.3 per cent, calling the country “a key growth engine for the world economy.”
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman dismissed Gandhi’s criticism of the budget, asserting that India’s economic fundamentals remain strong. “With due respect, I don’t know what course correction he is referring to,” she said, rejecting the claim that the economy is off track.
For the BJP, the episode fits into a broader charge that Rahul Gandhi’s political attacks often cross into what it calls an “anti-India narrative,” especially when they mirror hostile foreign commentary.
“Be proud of India,” Rijiju said, delivering a pointed message to the Congress leader as the government and opposition lock horns over the country’s economic direction — and its global image.
- “Be proud of India”: Rijiju cites Elon Musk to slam Rahul Gandhi’s anti-India narrative - February 2, 2026
- Peaceful Protests Held Across US Over Attacks on Minorities in Bangladesh - February 2, 2026
- Dalal Street claws back losses after budget-day drubbing - February 2, 2026
