BJP Leader Annamalai And DMK Min PTR Spar Over TN And India’s Economic Growth

DMK Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan and BJP state president K Annamalai engaged in a heated exchange regarding Tamil Nadu’s growth rate. The dispute stemmed from a post by BJP’s official account, citing PM Narendra Modi’s aspiration for Tamil Nadu’s development to align with the nation’s progress.

PTR responded by highlighting that Tamil Nadu’s Real NSDP Growth Per Capita CAGR stood at 5.54%, surpassing India’s Real GDP Growth Per Capita CAGR of 4.43%, according to RBI’s statistics.

As part of typical strategy, PTR attempted to downplay statistics by comparing Tamil Nadu with the overall national scenario, which includes all 28 states. In response, Annamalai rebutted this approach by comparing TN’s statistics with those of other states, accusing the DMK government of diverting attention from issues such as the NCB raids and alleged involvement of DMK members.

PTR addressed the issue concerning the development of Tamil Nadu and put forth several arguments on his official microblogging site, X stated Instead of resorting to the usual personal attacks, he expressed a newfound enjoyment in engaging with the BJP in a discussion centered around tangible figures. Firstly, he clarified the time frame being considered, stating that the comparison should cover nine years from 2013-2014 to 2022-2023, rather than a full decade.

Subsequently, he scrutinized the figures referenced by Annamalai, identifying inconsistencies in GDP per capita numbers and highlighting an unusual discrepancy in the Indian GDP per capita at Current Prices for 2013-2014. Utilizing accurate data from the RBI’s pages, PTR computed the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for Per Capita GDP in Tamil Nadu and the Indian average over nine years, underscoring a slight advantage for Tamil Nadu. He then delved into additional comparisons, encompassing constant and current prices, inflation rates, and the proportional contribution of Tamil Nadu to India’s GDP.

 

Annamalai responded by refuting PTR’s claims, emphasizing the BJP’s commitment to factual debates unlike the DMK’s alleged resort to slander, abuse, and violence when confronted with uncomfortable truths. Annamalai pointed out that PTR conveniently omitted addressing concerns about investments and obstacles from the state government’s side regarding AIIMS Madurai.

Annamalai challenged PTR’s comparison of Tamil Nadu’s performance with the national average, arguing that TN’s growth is lacking when measured against states with similar capabilities. Annamalai presented statistics indicating that, between 2013-14 and 2022-23, Tamil Nadu’s per capita NSDP and GSDP at constant prices grew less than those of Karnataka and Gujarat.

Annamalai further disputed PTR’s assertion about inflation, stating that average inflation in TN exceeded the national average during six of the nine financial years between 2014-15 and 2022-23. He questioned the positive interpretation of the drop in fertility rates, attributing it to the penetration of drugs and alcohol in TN. Annamalai compared rural and urban unemployment rates, highlighting TN’s higher figures compared to Gujarat, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh.

He criticized the comparison of TN with the national average, alleging an attempt to erase regulatory restrictions from the Nehruvian era, which had neglected resource-rich states. Annamalai suggested that the DMK’s focus on diverting attention from NCB raids and alleged involvement of DMK members indicated desperation. Finally, he accused the DMK government of failing to reduce the outstanding liability in TN, pegged at over ₹9 lakh crore, as promised by PTR when serving as the finance minister.

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