Rahul Gandhi Sees Ghosts Where There Are None: Piyush Goyal | News18 Exclusive

Last Updated:September 04, 2025, 19:30 IST

Piyush Goyal dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s rhetoric—where he had aligned with former US President Donald Trump’s 'dead economy' label

Goyal highlighted several key economic interventions under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership that, according to him, contradict any notion of a 'dead economy'. File pic

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks echoing the “dead economy" narrative, calling them “baseless, ill-informed, and disconnected from ground realities".

Speaking in response to Gandhi’s criticism, in an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Goyal said, “Mr Rahul Gandhi has been a naysayer who never understood economics. He sees ghosts where there are none. The people of India are witnessing real improvement in their lives, and that’s something he cannot reconcile with."

The minister dismissed Gandhi’s rhetoric—where he had aligned with former US President Donald Trump’s “dead economy" label—as nothing more than political dramatisation. “He’s been rejected by the people three times. His politics is like a rocket that fails to take off," Goyal remarked, emphasising that Gandhi’s statements do not reflect the sentiments of 140 crore Indians.

Goyal highlighted several key economic interventions under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership that, according to him, contradict any notion of a “dead economy":

• Free food grains continue to be provided to over 80 crore citizens, even after many have emerged from poverty.
• Fertiliser prices have remained stable for over 11 years, with the government absorbing global cost increases to protect farmers.
• The reduction of GST on life and health insurance premiums from 18% to 0% is expected to greatly benefit the middle class by expanding access to essential financial security.
• Under Ayushman Bharat, over 60 crore Indians, including everyone above the age of 70, are now eligible for free healthcare.
• The Jan Dhan Yojana enabled financial inclusion for millions, making banking services accessible to even the most marginalised sections of society.

Goyal pushed back on the idea that welfare programmes come at the cost of fiscal prudence. “Prime Minister Modi has shown that good economics can also be good politics. We’ve maintained the sanctity of our fundamentals while powering ahead for a brighter future," he said.

In a sharp contrast with the previous UPA regime, Goyal referenced the “scam-ridden legacy of Congress", including the 2G, Coalgate, and Commonwealth Games scandals, as a reminder of the shift from corruption to accountability under the Modi government.

“An honest government will always have money to spare for the poor. Just the reduction in GST recently translates to benefits worth over Rs 2 lakh crore," he added.

Piyush Goyal’s remarks underscore the government’s stance that India’s economy is not only alive but thriving, and that pessimism from opposition leaders is both politically motivated and divorced from reality. In his words, “It’s a very smart, concerted effort to ensure no Indian is left behind—economically or socially."

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