Madhya Pradesh minister Vishvas Sarang blamed former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his speech for the economy’s inflation. He said that Nehru’s statement from the Red Fort’s ramparts on August 15, 1947, has harmed the economy.

“Inflation does not rise in a day or two. The foundation of the economy is not laid in a day or two. The country’s economy has deteriorated due to the mistakes of the speech that Jawaharlal Nehru delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 1947,” said Sarang.

“If the credit for increasing inflation by crippling the economy after the country’s independence goes to anyone, it is the Nehru family,” he further added. Sarang was reacting to protests by the Congress over rising prices. He lauded the Bharatiya Janata Party and PM Modi for strengthening the economy since it came to power. Sarang said that the BJP government launched schemes for welfare of poor people and increased their participation in the economy. He also claimed that inflation levels fell and incomes increased during the BJP rule. He suggested Congress workers protest in front of party chief Sonia Gandhi’s residence.

Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson KK Mishra said that the Madhya Pradesh minister was not born when Nehru gave his famous speech. “Vishwas Sarang, an eligible minister of Shivraj’s circus, is blaming the country’s inflation on Nehru’s speech in 1947, when he was not even born. As a departmental (health) minister, can you state if Nehru was also responsible for the thousands of deaths due to lack of beds, oxygen and Remdesivir during the coronavirus pandemic?,” said Mishra.

Congress leader Narendra Saluja said that the ministry in Madhya Pradesh was filled with ‘weird’ people.

“A minister starts climbing up an electricity pole to repair it, another talks about how many children a couple should have, yet another says that money should be charged for a selfie. Now, a minister is holding a speech delivered 75 years ago responsible for inflation. Why did the BJP then promise relief from inflation in its poll campaign?,” Saluja quipped.