Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal Monday said in the nine years of the Narendra Modi government, India has become the fifth-strongest economy and as a result, every country today is eager to do business with it.
Goyal was addressing a group of intellectuals and professionals here on the completion of nine years of the Modi government at the Centre. He also targeted the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan over corruption and other issues.
"The Modi government has made India the fifth-strongest economy in these nine years. As a result of this, every country in the world today is eager to do business with India," he said.
"The Modi government has worked at a fast pace to build airports and expressways and develop railways. Four crore needy people were provided houses under the PM Awas Yojana," Goyal added.
He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a direct connection with the people of the country.
On Modi's visit to the United States next week, Goyal said the prime minister will address the US Congress for the second time and it would be a historic occasion.
Targeting the Gehlot dispensation, the Union minister said people need a strong government, not one that engages in the policy of appeasement.
"Depriving people of development for four-and-a-half years is corruption," he added.
Goyal also attacked Chief Minister Gehlot over the issue of corruption while talking to reporters after the event. He said Gehlot should focus on bringing his house to order instead of levelling allegations at the BJP.
BJP national spokesperson and Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Rathore accused the Gehlot government of looting the people of the state.
He alleged that Congress MLAs and ministers were involved in illegal mining and also accused the state government of cheating youngsters through recruitment exam paper leaks.
Rathore said the Modi government has increased India's reputation abroad in its nine years. Former minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat and other BJP leaders were also present in the programme.