'Modi put nation first, Congress put family first': Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha

"Ten years of one government with some crisis and 10 years of a different government with a different crisis. The comparison shown in this white paper clearly says that if the government handles it with true sincerity, transparency and putting the nation first the results are there for everybody to see," Sitharaman said in her opening remarks during the discussion on the white paper.

"Equally, when you don't put the nation first and when you put your First family first and when you have other considerations than transparency the results are out there to see," she aid in a direct jibe at the Congress.

The 'white paper' on the Indian economy claims that the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh inherited a healthy economy ready for more reforms but made it non-performing in 10 years. It states that double-digit inflation prevailed during the UPA government and the country's banking sector struggled.

The paper also highlights the 'scams' in the UPA government and alleges that the UPA government in its quest to maintain high economic growth severely undermined the macroeconomic foundations.

Speaking in the Lower House, Sitharaman said that the white paper has been laid on the table by a government after 10 full years of pulling out an Indian economy that was in a state of Fragile Five to reach the stage of top five economies and on the verge of reaching top three positions.

"It is a statement laid with responsibility so that the records of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have the factual information on the economy and that record shall be a record for our posterity, for our future, for entire India's youth. So that they know what effort it took for a Prime Minister with a vision to restore India to its glory, and in the last 10 years that is exactly what has happened," the Minister said.