Jaitley, Surjewala spar on Twitter over state of economy
New Delhi, June 14: Union Minister Arun Jaitley's remark that India is among the world's fastest growing economies was severely criticised by the Congress on Thursday, with party's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala saying that growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is at a four-year low.
Jaitley and Surjewala exchanged heated arguments on Twitter a day after the Minister's Facebook post where he said that the Congress was becoming more and more "ideology-less" and "anti-Modism was becoming its only ideology".
Surjewala has countered it asking if Jaitley's party (BJP) was becoming "agenda-less" and "achievement-less".
On Thursday morning, Jaitley tweeted: "@rssurjewala (Surjewala)- this is a political discourse. Abuse is not the answer. Please respond to the facts."
Responding to his tweet, Surjewala said: "@arunjaitley (Arun Jaitley) ji, when you abuse and berate the Congress leadership, even Supreme Court and many others by distorting facts, it is 'political discourse' for you, but when you are shown the 'mirror of truth' with hard facts, you get 'unnerved' and call it 'abuse'? Politics of Convenience?"
"Surjewala, surely the journey from India being part of the 'fragile five' and 'policy paralysis' to the world's fastest growing economy could not be result of economic mismanagement - another case of ignorance," Jaitley said responding to the Congress leader's tweet.
Surejewala replied: "Growth under Modi Government is at four-year low, exports are in free fall, promise of two crore jobs is a 'Jumla', NPAs are soaring to 10 lakh crore, investment is down, banks are paralysed and 'loot scams' a norm, GST flawed, schemes failing! Isn't this Economic Mismanagement?"
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
