Jaitley, Surjewala spar on Twitter over state of economy

New Delhi: Union Minister Arun Jaitley's remark that India is among the world's fastest growing economies was severely criticised by the Congress on Thursday, with party's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala saying that growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is at a four-year low.

Jaitley and Surjewala exchanged heated arguments on Twitter a day after the Minister's Facebook post where he said that the Congress was becoming more and more "ideology-less" and "anti-Modism was becoming its only ideology".

Surjewala has countered it asking if Jaitley's party (BJP) was becoming "agenda-less" and "achievement-less".

On Thursday morning, Jaitley tweeted: "@rssurjewala (Surjewala)- this is a political discourse. Abuse is not the answer. Please respond to the facts."

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Responding to his tweet, Surjewala said: "@arunjaitley (Arun Jaitley) ji, when you abuse and berate the Congress leadership, even Supreme Court and many others by distorting facts, it is 'political discourse' for you, but when you are shown the 'mirror of truth' with hard facts, you get 'unnerved' and call it 'abuse'? Politics of Convenience?"

"Surjewala, surely the journey from India being part of the 'fragile five' and 'policy paralysis' to the world's fastest growing economy could not be result of economic mismanagement - another case of ignorance," Jaitley said responding to the Congress leader's tweet.

Surjewala replied, "Growth under Modi Government is at four-year low, exports are in free fall, promise of two crore jobs is a 'Jumla', NPAs are soaring to 10 lakh crore, investment is down, banks are paralysed and 'loot scams' a norm, GST flawed, schemes failing! Isn't this Economic Mismanagement?"