UPA govt practised sadistic economics: Jaitley on Jayanthi’s letter bomb

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has hit out at the Congress after a letter written by former environment minister Jayanthi Natarjan, in a letter to Sonia Gandhi, accused Rahul Gandhi of interfering in her work as a minister.

“Former environment minister's letter has emerged today morning, issues which were believed to be rumours have been vindicated now,” Jaitley said on Friday.

“Any government which administers the country, its prime responsibility is to administer the economy of the country...the letter establishes that it was not the mandatory considerations which wade with the ruling party and government,” he said.

“What wade with them was the whims of political leaders of the party as to who is to be granted environmental permission,” adding that growth rate had gone down during UPA government, primary reasons were that there was delay in approval of projects worth lakhs of crores.

“When whims overtake legal requirements this becomes a textbook case of crony capitalism. UPA was a practitioner of sadistic economy. This sadistic economy which UPA tried to build up was vindictive in nature, wanting to teach lesson to some and favour some,” he said.

“I hope the Environment Ministry now will go into each of these permissions granted and  not granted and make sure these are expeditiously dealt with only as per law and no other consideration,” he added.