Congress governments did asset monetisations too: Nirmala Sitharaman hits back at Rahul Gandhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 25

Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Smriti Irani on Wednesday took up cudgels against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his opposition to the Centre’s Rs 6 lakh crore monetisation programme, asking him why he hadn’t objected to a similar project by the UPA government for the re-development of New Delhi Railway Station, a project that was ultimately dropped following objections from the Delhi Development Authority.

Also read: Monetisation will create monopolies, enslave people: Rahul Gandhi

Alleging that the Congress had received “kickbacks” by selling resources such as land and mines, Sitharaman said, “The Congress had monetised the New Delhi Railway Station in 2008. Why didn’t Rahul tear down the monetisation plan for New Delhi railway station?” said Sitharaman at a press conference in Mumbai after reviewing the performance of public sector banks (PSBs).

Sitharaman said governments headed by the Congress had raised Rs 8,000 crore by monetising the Mumbai-Pune expressway.