Absolutely no politics: Surjit Bhalla rejects claims of GDP data manipulation

Economist Surjit Bhalla has rejected claims that India’s GDP data was manipulated to make the country’s growth rate look stronger, saying there is “absolutely no politics” behind the downward revisions and “no evidence” that the data was exaggerated.

Speaking to India Today’s Rajdeep Sardesai during a discussion on the revised GDP numbers, Bhalla said questions over the accuracy of government data were legitimate in a democracy. But after examining whether the revisions had artificially boosted the growth rate, he said he had found no evidence to support the allegation.

“I come out squarely that there is no evidence to date that we have played politics with the numbers,” Bhalla said.