Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday launched a sharp attack against the Centre and accused the Narendra Modi government of spreading “falsehoods” about India’s growth. Participating in a debate in Lok Sabha on demands for additional grants for 2022-23, Moitra cited government data showing a fall in the country’s industrial output and questioned the Centre on issues of economy and employment.

“Who is the ‘Pappu’ now?” she asked in the Lower House and urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to take control of the economy, which, according to the TMC leader, is going downhill.

The Trinamool MP also took a swipe at BJP president JP Nadda over the party’s loss in his home state Himachal Pradesh. “The ruling party’s president could not hold on to his home state. Who is the Pappu now?” she asked.

Also Read: Himachal Pradesh: Setback for BJP on Anurag Thakur’s home turf, party loses all 5 seats in Hamirpur

“This government and the ruling party coined the term Pappu. You use it to denigrate and signify extreme incompetence. But the statistics tell us who the actual Pappu is,” Moitra said.

During the discussion, Moitra cited the latest data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) to claim that while the country’s industrial output shrunk by four per cent in October to a 26-month low, the manufacturing sector, which is “still the biggest generator of jobs”, has contracted to 5.6 per cent.

Also Read: : Manish Tewari’s Bill in Lok Sabha: Reform EC appointments process, regulate internal functioning of political parties

“Seventeen of the industry sectors that make up the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) has recorded negative growth rates. Forex reserves have fallen by 72 billion dollars in under a year,” she said.

Seeking to corner the government, Moitra further referred to the Finance Minister’s remarks about how India accounted for 50 per cent of all FII inflows into emerging markets. “But the government in reply to a question told the House last Friday that almost 2 lakh people renounced their Indian citizenship in the first 10 months of 2022,” Moitra said.

“Is this sign of a healthy economic environment or a healthy tax environment (in the country)…Who is the Pappu now?”

The TMC MP alleged that there is an “atmosphere of terror” in the country today with the “sword” of the Enforcement Directorate hanging over “businessmen and high net worth individuals” as well as leaders of opposition parties.

“The ruling party buys lawmakers for hundreds of crores of rupees and yet members of the opposition represent 95 per cent of the lawmakers under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate,” Moitra alleged.

(With PTI inputs)