FM Jaitley springs to CEA Arvind Subramanian's defence, says govt has full confidence in him

Arun Jaitley on Wednesday strongly defended Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian saying the government has full confidence in him and his advice is of "great value" to it.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Government has full confidence in Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and his advice is of great value, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday apparently responding to his party colleague Subramanian Swamy's attack on the CEA.

“ We do not share Subramanian Swamy’s views,” Jaitley said at a press conference. “One has to ponder as to what extent one should attack officers whose office constrains them from responding, ” he added.

Jaitley also denied suggestion that government and BJP did not defend RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in the face of Swamy's attacks.

The Finance Ministry has also defended CEA appointment, saying it knew of his stance on key issues like IPR before hand.

Government had taken a considered view when it appointed the former IMF economist as CEA, sources in the ministry said.

The Finance Ministry knew of his stance on key issues like Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) before choosing him, they said adding the ministry was not giving credence to Swamy's remarks on Subrmananian.

After targeting RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Swamy has now trained his guns on the CEA, demanding his sacking.

"Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!," he tweeted.

Swamy's attack comes in the wake of reports of Arvind Subramanian being among the probable successors of Rajan as the country's central bank chief.

The BJP government had in October, 2014 appointed IIM-Ahmedabad allumnus Subramanian as CEA in the Finance Ministry.