New Delhi: A day after IMF praised India's Aadhaar and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programmes, ex-finance minister P Chidambaram credited the Congress with introducing them as the BJP asserted it was the Modi government which expanded the schemes to benefit a huge number of people.
The ruling party mocked Chidambaram for linking the two schemes' successes with the previous UPA government, saying by this logic the Congress will claim credit for all poverty alleviation programmes as it had given "Garibi Hatao" (eliminate poverty) slogan while doing nothing about it from the days when Indira Gandhi was prime minister.
In a tweet, the Congress leader noted that the International Monetary Fund praised India's DBT scheme as a logistical marvel and also the innovative use of Aadhaar.
He added, "Before the BJP rushes to claim credit for DBT and Aadhaar, please recall when they were introduced and by which government. Aadhaar was launched on 28-1-2009. DBT was introduced on 1-1-2013. Both by the UPA government."
BJP leader and Union minister Bhupender Yadav posted an old video of Chidambaram making a speech in Parliament in which he appeared to question the Narendra Modi government's thrust on digital transactions and hit out at him.
"Surprising how the same man who stood in Parliament to mock Digital India has the audacity today to claim credit for DBT and Aadhaar because IMF praised the moves," Yadav said.
In his speech, often cited by BJP leaders, the former finance minister is wondering how traders in village fairs are expected to have PoS (Point of Sale) machines and internet connection to receive payments for the sale of potatoes and tomatoes.
Yadav tweeted, "The single biggest reason for the success of DBT scheme is the opening of bank accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana of the Narendra Modi government. Over 45 crore accounts have been opened as of April 2022 under the scheme empowering the same poor who your government deliberately wanted to keep poor."