Raghuram Rajan joins Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, BJP says he 'fancies himself as the next Manmohan Singh'

Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday joined the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan. The Congress boasted the support of a “fearless economist” who has often criticised the government’s policies, the BJP lashed out at Rajan. 

"#BharatJodoYatra Shri Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of RBI, shaking steps with @RahulGandhi ji... The increasing number of people standing up to unite the country against hatred shows that we will be successful," The Indian National Congress tweeted along with a picture of Rajan walking with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Sharing an image with Rajan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “We walk for unity and to secure India’s future.”

Freedom is the essence of Democracy & Harmony is the foundation of a prosperous Economy.

We walk for unity and to secure India’s future. pic.twitter.com/bsiXLU2ZMf

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 14, 2022

Supriya Shrinate, the Congress’s social media head, hailed Rajan as a “fine economist, a man of high integrity, a man whose heart beats for an inclusive India and above all one of the most fearless people I know”.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya took a dig at the former RBI Governor. “He fancies himself as the next Manmohan Singh,” he tweeted. Malviya said Rajan’s presence at the Yatra did not come as a surprise. “His commentary on India’s economy should be discarded with disdain. It is coloured and opportunistic,” the spokesperson tweeted. 

The IT head for BJP’s Delhi unit, Punit Agarwal, shared news clippings of Rajan’s statements criticising the Indian economy or the Centre’s schemes. Agarwal captioned the image, “Yeah, now it all makes sense Mr Raghuram Rajan.

Dr Raghuram Rajan was the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between September 2013 and September 2016. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund.

The yatra resumed from the Bhadoti area of Sawai Madhopur on Wednesday and reached Badhshapura for a morning break. It will resume at 3.30 pm and the evening break will be in Bagdi village of Dausa at 6.30 pm.