With the benchmark Sensex witnessing the biggest single day drop ever, Congress on Monday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he has turned "unlucky" as the economy and exports were down and prices soaring.
Party spokesman Ajoy Kumar recalled that the Prime Minister had described himself as a "Naseebwala" (Lucky) in the backdrop of a rising sensex and lowering of petrol prices.
"Now he has become unlucky with sensex slumping 1,624 points, marking its fourth biggest fall in history,... and rupee needing immediate medication," he said, insisting that the report card of the Modi dispensation on the economic front was a "big failure".
Suggesting that there were no signs to cheer up the economy, he said, capital goods manufacturing has decreased, rural industry was going slow and manufacturing down.
A matter of concern was that credit growth is the least in the past 16 years and exports are down so also job creation, he said.
Taking a dig at the government over rise in prices of essential commodities including pulses, he remarked "We have heard of 'Ghar Ki Murgi Dal Barabaar'- Modi Sarkar has ensured that price of Dal is equal to the price of chicken".
With the onion prices touching Rs 80 per kg, Kumar recalled a news item which spoke of theft of onions.
"You must have heard about stealing gold or diamonds, but now people are stealing 700 kg Onions!" he said. Ridiculing a suggestion of a Union Minister of making onion paste and powder in times of a good harvest, he wondered whether the Minister would also talk of making paste and powder of Dal too?
Targeting Finance Minister on the handling of economy, he remarked that sometimes Arun Jaitley blames China, sometimes he blames Greece, "when he finds no reason he blames the opposition".
Noting that in 2013 when Congress-led UPA was in power, Rajnath Singh had remarked that economy is in ICU, he said, now rupee needs "emergency medication".
In a tweet, party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi took potshots at the Prime Minister. "Looks like Sensex is giving condolences to much hyped foreign investment & jingoistic declarations by PM abroad".
"Sensex biggest ever fall! Country now misses Dr Manmohan Singh's sensible leadership!"another party leader Ajay Maken tweeted.
