Chidambaram rejects Jaitley’s remarks over inflation

New Delhi, July 29

Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Friday rejected Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s contention in the Lok Sabha that the UPA government had left behind double-digit inflation.

“The FM said the UPA bequeathed double-digit inflation. In June 2014, the CPI (Consumer Price Index) was 6.77 and the WPI (Wholesale Price Index) was 5.66. Did FM add the two numbers? Voodoo statistics!” Chidambaram tweeted.

Intervening in the price rise discussion in the Lok Sabha, Jaitley on Thursday said the NDA government had in 2014 inherited from the UPA a double-digit inflation, which had been brought substantially down and it would further reduce with good monsoon.

Jaitley’s remarks came after Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that the government had failed to control prices, particularly of essential commodities. PTI