Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at the Modi government over its economic policies, saying “Modinomics” was destroying the country’s economy. He made the remark in a tweet he put out to congratulate Indian-American economist Abhijit Banerjee for winning the Economics Nobel prize.

On October 14, Gandhi tweeted, “Congratulations to #AbhijitBanerjee on winning the Nobel Prize in Economics. Abhijit helped conceptualise NYAY that had the power to destroy poverty and boost the Indian economy. Instead we now have Modinomics, that’s destroying the economy and boosting poverty.”
The Congress leader’s remark led to a counterattack from the BJP, which wondered if he will ever learn to be graceful.

Soon after Abhijit Banerjee won laurel, Gandhi said the economist had helped conceptualise Nyay, a minimum income guarantee scheme that was promised by the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.

The BJP slammed Gandhi for his comment, “ Instead we now have Modinomics, that’s destroying the economy and boosting poverty.”

BJP’s Amit Malviya tweeted, “Here is PM Modi congratulating Abhijit Banerjee without any ifs and buts despite knowing that he has been a critic. And Rahul Gandhi is not only politicizing Abhijit’s Nobel prize, but also using it to attack PM Modi. I know it is tough but will Rahul ever learn to be graceful?”

Here is PM Modi congratulating Abhijit Banerjee without any ifs and buts despite knowing that he has been a critic.

And Rahul Gandhi is not only politicizing Abhijit’s Nobel prize, but also using it to attack PM Modi.

I know it is tough but will Rahul ever learn to be graceful? pic.twitter.com/COuEEeze1k

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 14, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tweeted a congratulatory message for the the economist after winning the Nobel prize.

“Congratulations to Abhijit Banerjee on being conferred the 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. He has made notable contributions in the field of poverty alleviation,” he tweeted.

Congratulations to Abhijit Banerjee on being conferred the 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. He has made notable contributions in the field of poverty alleviation.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 14, 2019