Modi Takes A Dig At Economist Amartya Sen, Says ‘Hard Work Is More Important Than Harvard’ 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was speaking at an election rally in Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh, took a dig at Harvard economist Amartya Sen, saying hard work is more important in transforming India’s economy than Harvard thinking.

"The country has seen difference between Harvard and hard-work. On one hand they talk of what people at Harvard say, on the other a poor person's son is trying to grow the economy through his hard work," he said while addressing a rally in Maharajganj ahead of the sixth-phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Sen and few other economists had criticised Indian government’s demonetisation of high-value currency notes. “It (demonetisation) undermines notes, it undermines bank accounts, it undermines the entire economy of trust. That is the sense in which it is despotic. It’s a disaster on economy of trust,” Sen had said in an interview with NDTV.

Those criticising demonetisation, including former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Sing, had predicted that the economy will suffer as a result of Modi’s move.

Official data released on Tuesday showed that demonetisation hasn’t pushed back the economy, proving the predictions wrong. India has retained its status as the world’s fastest growing major economy and grew at a healthy 7 per cent in the third fiscal quarter despite demonetisation.