“Classic shoot and scoot brand”: Hardeep Puri slams Mallikarjun Kharge over his “fabricated figures and fake data”

New Delhi: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday accused the Congress Party of reverting to its alleged “shoot and scoot” social media policy, which relies on spreading lies, fabricated figures, and fake data.

Coming down heavily on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his allegations that the central government has failed to fulfill their poll promises, Puri claimed that even senior leaders of the party don’t verify facts before sharing their misguided opinions publicly.

“Congress Party’s classic shoot and scoot brand of social media policy based on lies, fabricated figures and fake data is back in action. Even their senior most leaders do not check facts before going public with their delusional opinions,” the Union Minister posted on X.

Dismissing Kharge’s claim about the rising unemployment, Puri said that India has witnessed significant employment growth over the years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”Under the leadership of PM @narendramodi Ji, India has witnessed significant employment growth over the years. Employment has increased by nearly 36 per cent, adding around 170 million jobs between 2016-17 and 2022-23. Let me also remind them that India’s economic trajectory demonstrates sustained job creation across key sectors. We are on our way to becoming the world’s 3rd largest economy very soon from the 11th spot their famed economists and policies left us in 2014,” he posted on X.

Puri in his post highlighted India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased at an average rate of over 6.5 per cent during this period.

“While providing direct and indirect employment opportunities to our youth India’s GDP grew at an average rate of over 6.5% during the same period. Indian labour market indicators show that the unemployment rate has declined to 3.2% in 2022-23. Agriculture remains dominant, employing over 45 per cent of the workforce, with a gradual shift toward manufacturing and services,” he said.

“According to PLFS, youth (age 15-29 years) unemployment rate has declined from 17.8 per cent in 2017-18 to 10 per cent in 2022-23. EPFO has reached 131.5 lakh in 2024 while the Gig Economy workforce is expected to grow to 2.35 crore by 2029-30,” the Union Minister added.Pur criticized Kharge for his remarks on unemployment, saying the Congress chief seems to be relying on false data or is distracted by his party’s internal issues.”While Mr Kharge sees ‘stampedes’, he seems unaware that the Worker Population Ratio has increased by almost 26% between 2017-2023. He is clearly looking at all the wrong places & getting fake data, or maybe is just too preoccupied with trying to hold his imploding party together and buying whatever lies his advisors sell to him, or he is just too fixated with the ‘unemployment’ of his party’s travelling Shehzada,” he said.The tussle began when PM Modi Modi in his recent thread of tweets, accused Congress of making empty promises during election campaigns.In his tweet, PM Modi claimed, “The Congress Party is realizing the hard way that making unreal promises is easy, but implementing them properly is tough or impossible. Campaign after campaign, they promise things to the people, which they also know they will never be able to deliver.”Modi cited issues in Congress-ruled states, mentioning that the “developmental trajectory and fiscal health is turning from bad to worse” in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana. He alleged that Congress’s unfulfilled promises were misleading the poor, youth, farmers, and women and that existing welfare schemes were being neglected. Modi urged the public to be vigilant against what he termed the “Congress-sponsored culture of fake promises” and cited Haryana’s recent election results as evidence of people rejecting Congress.Responding to this, Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that lies, deceit, fraud, loot and publicity are the five adjectives that best define the BJP government at the centre.”Lies, Deceit, Fakery, Loot & Publicity are the 5 adjectives which best describe your Govt! Your drumbeating regarding a 100-day plan was a cheap PR stunt! On May 16, 2024, you also claimed that you took inputs from more than 20 lakh people for the road map for 2047. RTI filed in PMO declined to put forth details, exposing your LIES!” Kharge posted on X.Launching a scathing attack on the central government, the Congress chief said, ” The ‘B’ in BJP stands for Betrayal, while the ‘J’ stands for ‘Jhumla’.Setting the record straight.”He further highlighted several areas where the central government has allegedly failed, and said, “Why is India’s Unemployment Rate at a 45-year high? Why are stampedes witnessed wherever there are vacancies for a handful of jobs? Who is responsible for 70 paper leaks in 7 years? Who snatched 5 Lakh Govt jobs by selling stake in PSUs? Why have the household savings plunged to a 50-year low? Why has the cost of a common thali increased by 52% in just last year? TOP — Tomato Prices increased by 247%, Potato by 180% and Onion by 60%? Who levied GST on essential food items such as Milk, Curd, Atta, Dal? Who is penalising Middle Class through LTCG by indulging in Tax Terrorism?”