‘India’s 7.8% GDP growth managed, not real’: Assam Congress leader Ripun Bora

Congress leader Ripun Bora on September 1 questioned the credibility of India's reported 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the first quarter of the current financial year, alleging that the figure did not reflect the economic realities faced by ordinary people.

Reacting to the government's GDP figures, Bora said the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were projecting the growth rate as a major achievement, but claimed that the benefits of economic growth were not reaching the common people.

“The government announced, and the Prime Minister is very proud and boasting about this projected GDP growth of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of this financial year. We have seen this on earlier occasions as well. This GDP is managed; it is not actual,” Bora said.

The Congress leader questioned how the economy could be considered robust when a large section of the population continued to struggle with poverty and rising prices.

“If it were real, why are people still living in poverty? This GDP is only for rich people, big businessmen and big capitalists, not for the common people,” he alleged.

Bora also linked the country's economic situation to rising prices and declining household consumption, claiming that people were being forced to cut back on essential commodities because of inflation.

He questioned the government's economic narrative, asking why ordinary households were facing financial pressure if GDP growth was genuinely as strong as claimed.

“If the GDP is truly growing like this, why is all of this happening?” Bora asked, alleging that the reported growth rate did not adequately capture the economic hardships faced by people.