'India's growth is a sum of...': Mohandas Pai fires back at Priyank Kharge 

Hours after Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic record, former Infosys CFO and Aarin Capital chairman Mohandas Pai countered the claims, defending India's growth trajectory. 

"Karnataka per capita income is at 4.25 lakh today. Is that a joke too? No jobs created here? No investments? How did we grow in the last 12 years?” Pai wrote on X. "Both Congress and BJP ruled and did this. TN, Kerala, Bengal, Maha, UP, Bihar...all have grown well. Is this not true? India growth is a summation of growth of states, many ruled by various parties. Karnataka is the richest large state in India. Should we not be proud of our state too?"

Pai was responding to Kharge's criticism of India's development model under Prime Minister Modi. In a detailed post, the minister had written: “Vishwaguru Modi’s masterstrokes have ensured the rich thrive while the poor barely survive.”

"India is now the 4th-largest economy in the world. That sounds impressive, until you read the fine print: we are also the 50th poorest country in the world by GDP per capita,” Kharge said. "Despite all the loud chest-thumping, majority of Indians are not feeling the benefits of that #AmritKaal."

He blamed the Modi government for what he called “jobless growth” and “massive wealth concentration,” listing key policy decisions as contributing factors: “Demonetisation wiped out informal income overnight. A botched GST rollout choked small + medium businesses. Privatisation & disinvestment helped monopolies, not the public. Low public spending on education, health and rural livelihoods. Crony capitalism over job creation.”

Kharge argued that “India looks rich on paper, but remains deeply unequal, underpaid and insecure for its working population,” adding, “We are growing GDP, but not dignity. We are exporting millionaires and billionaires, while importing poverty rankings. PM Modi’s ‘vikas’ is a brand campaign, not a development model.”