Looks like PM has made up his mind to make rupee hit a century: Cong

New Delhi: In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the falling value of the rupee against the US dollar, the Congress on Friday said the currency has fallen by 50 per cent in the last 10 years and it looks like the prime minister has made up his mind to make it hit a century.

Addressing a press conference here with a magnifying glass in hand, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said she has brought it as she has lost track of how steeply the rupee has fallen and with that, the prime minister’s dignity.

“It was Mr Modi who said that along with the falling rupee, the prime minister’s dignity and his office’s grace also fall. I wonder what Prime Minister Modi has to say now,” she said.

“The rupee today is staring at 87 to a dollar, while he (Modi) was handed over the rupee at 58 to a dollar when he became the prime minister. The rupee has fallen by 29 against the dollar, which is a fall of 50 per cent in the last 10 years. It looks like he has made up his mind to make it hit a century,” Shrinate said at the presser at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office at 24, Akbar Road.

She asked the Centre whether it has a plan to resurrect the rupee and for how long the precious forex reserves are going to be spent to control and strengthen the rupee.

“Today, the rupee is playing hide and seek with 87. It seems that the rupee is running away and Prime Minister Modi is shouting slogans from behind -- ‘This time 60 paar, 65 paar, 70 paar, 75 paar, 80 paar, 85 paar’.... Now, we will make 87 paar also. Narendra Modi has decided that he will ensure that he reaches a century of rupees,” the Congress leader said.

“If Narendra Modi is asked about the falling rupee, he can blame (first prime minister Jawaharlal) Nehruji for it,” she said.

Shrinate also shared a pie chart, highlighting the percentage by which the value of the rupee fell during the tenures of various prime ministers over the years.