Sonia says -Before independence, the country had to import even small things. We moved ahead on (the road to) economic development under the leadership of Congress and today almost everything is produced within the country ---- The real truth is nothing could be imported and no foreign exchage was available even when one wanted to go abroad fro studies. All one got was 8 dollars to go to the USA. There was shortage of every commodity. Only people close to congress big wigs were given license to manufacture and the quota for raw materials which they would just sell to real manufacturers and users.The most lucrative agencies ( like for cars and jeep) were owned by congress men. Only 2 car manufacturers were given license - Premier and Hind Motors which would produce substandard vehicles and the agencies would sell them at huge premiums as there was a long waiting period of 7 or 8 yrs. The economy opened up only because P.V. Narasimha Rao not because of the Gandhi family.
