New Delhi: P Chidambaram, addressing his first press conference after being released from jail on bail, ripped into the government on the state of the economy. “The government is making mistakes. It is wrong. Let me repeat, the government is wrong and they are wrong because they are clueless,” said the former finance minister, who spent 106 days in prison, mostly in Delhi’s Tihar jail.
He said every number pointed in the direction of a floundering economy. The economy can be brought out of the slowdown but this government, he said, was “incapable” of doing that.
“We will be lucky to end the year if growth touches 5%. Please remember Dr Arvind Subramanian’s caution that 5% under this government, because of suspect methodology, is not really 5% but less by about 1.5%,” Chidambaram told reporters at the Congress headquarters.
Earlier, he went to parliament, where he told reporters: “The government cannot suppress my voice in parliament”. He also joined a protest by Congress MPs against the skyrocketing prices of onions.
On Wednesday evening, soon after walking out of jail, the senior Congress leader met party president Sonia Gandhi at her home.
“I am happy that Supreme Court has passed an order granting bail and I am happy that I have stepped out and breathing the air of freedom after 106 days,” he told reporters.
Chidambaram, 74, walked out of Tihar jail after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to the INX Media.
The Supreme Court said Chidambaram cannot travel without its permission and has to appear for questioning when required. He has also been banned from making public statements on the case, giving interviews or contacting witnesses.
The court, noting that economic offences are grave in nature, also said “grant of bail is the rule and refusal is the exception”. There was no material to indicate that Chidambaram “or anyone on his behalf had restrained or threatened a witness”, the top court said.
Chidambaram was arrested on August 21 by the CBI, which is investigating allegations that as Finance Minister of the country in 2007, he facilitated a huge infusion of foreign funds into the company INX Media founded by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested him on October 16 in connection with money-laundering allegations linked to the case. Chidambaram is accused of creating a web of shell companies and several foreign bank accounts to launder money.
