NEW DELHI: With RBI Governor Urjit Patel yet to make any public statement even two weeks after currency demonetisation, the Finance Ministry on Wednesday played down his silence, saying it is irrelevant as to who communicates government policies.
Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das, who has been holding fort since the November 8 decision to ban old 500 and 1000 rupee notes by almost daily announcing measures taken by the government to ease the cash crunch, said more important than who addresses is the issue of communicating and giving information.
“It is not relevant who speaks. I am speaking on behalf of the government, I am not speaking here in my individual capacity. So, therefore, it is irrelevant whether I am speaking or somebody else is speaking,” Das told reporters.
He was asked why Patel has not made a single public statement and why Das alone was making announcements on the issue.
“Let’s not do these things… For communication purposes, it is irrelevant who addresses. The idea is government should communicate and give out all the information,” Das said.
