The Congress on Saturday pleaded with the government not to harm India’s image on the global platform, saying the “finance minister is clueless and several ministers are making astonishing statements”.

Referring to the export and real estate package announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Congress said: “Her announcements today were purely cosmetic; won’t help at all. Nothing on investments, job creation, infusion of capital, generating demands, boosting production.

“Saying that inflation is under control is meaningless today. Too much time has already been lost. We request the government to come up with a comprehensive package instead of making silly statements and offering piecemeal sectoral incentives.”

Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said: “I can only say the finance minister is clueless as to how to deal with the gravity of the crisis.”

After the earlier announcements of stimulus packages, the situation deteriorated and the latest steps are not going to help, Sharma asserted.

“The finance minister of India is lacking in macroeconomic understanding. A comprehensive package for economic revival was expected,” he said.

Sharma said what was required to revive the economy was infusion of capital and not merely “small interest subventions” which have been announced.

The government is unable to do so because it does not have money, the Congress leader claimed.

Sharma hit out at Sitharaman’s earlier statement blaming millennials’ preference for ride-hailing services such as Uber and Ola over owning cars, and not high taxes, for slumping vehicle sales.