Congress questions PM Modi's assertion on FDI numbers

The Congress on Tuesday contested Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim of a "record" foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country last year, saying it was far from the truth and that the FDI has been the lowest in 13 years in 2017.

Congress leader Raj Babbar also said Modi should have talked about the "poor state" of the economy as well.

"The prime minister today said fresh investment in the country has been the highest. This seems an incomplete truth...it would have been better had he told (the PIOs) that investment (made in the country) has been the lowest in last 13 years," Babbar told reporters.

Earlier today, addressing the first PIO-Parliamentarians Conference here, Modi said, "India is changing, India is transforming. India has moved far ahead...A record USD 60 billion FDI came into the country last year." 

Babbar said the prime minister should have told the Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) that fresh investment in 2014, during the UPA government of Manmohan Singh, was Rs 16.2 lakh crore and it came down to Rs 7.9 lakh crore in 2017.

"It would have been better had the prime minister put forth all the statistics (relating to the economy)," he said.

Babbar also said it would have been better had Modi talked about the "poor state" of the economy. This would have helped as the PIOs would have worked for taking the country forward, he added.

The Congress leader claimed growth in the manufacturing sector has also come down and unemployment has increased. He claimed there was a slowdown in the country's real estate and the manufacturing sectors.

On Congress president Rahul Gandhi's Bahrain visit, Babbar said he was trying to unify people.

He, however, did not comment on the Supreme Court's decision on playing national anthem in cinema halls, but accused the government of adopting "diversionary tactics".