Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that India has emerged as a major global power by efforts done over the last 50 years, not just in five years.

His remarks came during the launch of Congress' plan on National Security drafted by Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda (retd.), who was the Northern Army Commander in September 2016 when Indian troops carried out surgical strikes across the border after the Uri terror attack.

In a response to a question if India made rapid growth in the last five years, Ramesh said that Hooda has never said in his report that the progress of India in the last five years is unprecedented.

"Hooda has said that there has been an economic achievement but whether it happened in 10 years, 15 years, or in 30 years, he said nothing. Hooda has never mentioned five years," he said, adding that the country has emerged as a major global power by its efforts done in the last 50 years.

Ramesh also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that unemployment, demonetisation, and the suffering of farmers are not patriotism.

"Security at the border and people in the society living together with brotherhood... that is real patriotism," he said.

First Published:Apr 21, 2019 9:48 PM IST