Suresh Angadi said "some people" were trying to malign the image of PM Modi.
The Congress on Saturday hit out at the government over a BJP minister's remark that economy is doing fine with people getting married and trains full, alleging that such statements were being made in a planned manner to divert attention from reality.
Union minister Suresh Angadi on Friday dismissed the opposition's criticism over the state of economy, asserting that "airports and trains are full and people are getting married" and this indicates that the country's economy is "doing fine".
Noting that the economy slows down every three years but it will pick up soon, the minister of state for railways said "some people" were trying to malign the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hitting out at the minister''s remarks, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in a tweet said that it seems such bizarre statements are made or are prompted to be made in a planned manner to divert attention from the reality and prevailing circumstances.
"Airports are full, trains are full, people are getting married. Some people are doing this for nothing else but to malign the image of Narendra Modi," Mr Angadi had told reporters during an inspection of the soon to be commissioned Tunda Khurja eastern dedicated freight corridor.
"Every three years there is fall in demand in economy. It is a cycle. Then the economy picks up also," he had said.