'Solid achievement of BJP's hate-filled cultural nationalism': Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over IMF data

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a dig at the government over IMF growth projections showing Bangladesh closing in on India in terms of per capita GDP this year and described it as a “solid achievement” of six years of BJP’s “hate-filled cultural nationalism”. Rahul also shared a graph citing its source as the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook report which showed Bangladesh closing in on India and almost catching up with it in terms of per capita GDP this year.

The IMF said on Tuesday that the Indian economy, severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic, is projected to contract by a massive 10.3 percent this year. However, India is likely to bounce back with an impressive 8.8 percent growth rate in 2021, thus regaining the position of the fastest growing emerging economy, surpassing China’s projected growth rate of 8.2 per cent, the IMF said in its latest ‘‘World Economic Outlook’’ report.