Subramanian Swamy, P Chidambaram criticise Shaktikanta Das' appointment as RBI governor

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the government's decision to appoint Shaktikanta Das as the new RBI Governor. Swamy has alleged Das worked closely in "corrupt activities" with senior Congress leader P Chidambaram.

"Shaktikanta Das being appointed as RBI Governor is wrong, he has worked closely in corrupt activities with P Chidambaram and even tried to save him in court cases. I don't know why this was done, I have written a letter to PM against this decision," Swamy told news agency ANI.

Ironically, Chidambaram has also criticised the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the RBI Governor. The former finance minister said that Prime Minister Modi had appointed two people (Shaktikanta Das and S Gurumurthy) who had vocally supported demonetisation at key posts in the RBI.

"Government has appointed two persons who vocally supported demonetisation to two key posts. What does it say about the Modi government?  Is government telling the people of the country 'we don't care what you think, we will do exactly as we please'?" Chidambaram tweeted.

Both Swamy and Chidambaram - while politically at the opposite ends of the spectrum - have been vocal about recent developments at the RBI. Swamy said that the resignation of Urjit Patel was ill timed and PM Modi should stop him from leaving.

"His resignation at this time would be wrong for the government, economy and the RBI. The prime minister should call him and find out what could be the personal reasons and dissuade him from leaving. This is what I think the PM should do," Swamy had said soon after Patel made his exit public.

Chidambaram, similarly, had expressed disappointment at Patel's exit and blamed the Modi government. "Saddened, not surprised, by Dr Urjit Patel's resignation. No self respecting scholar or academic can work in this government," he tweeted.

"Dr Patel may have thought that government will re-trace its steps. I knew it would not. Good he quit before another humiliating meeting," he added in another tweet.

Chidambaram had suggested that the government wanted to make the central bank's board (which includes government representatives) stronger to have a direct control over the bank.

"Make no mistake, this Government's intention is to make RBI a Board-managed company," he tweeted. In another tweet, he said "Government's immediate agenda is to grab the reserves of the RBI to meet its fiscal deficit target and to get funds for spending in an election year."

Not just Chidambaram, Congress President Rahul Gandhi had also slammed the government over Urjit Patel's exit. "With the RBI Governor's resignation one more independent institution has fallen. The BJP has demolished every temple of modern India and if not stopped,  will surely destroy India itself," he had tweeted.

Also read:  Govt is not just a stakeholder but also runs country, economy, says new RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das