New Delhi, May 2 (HT): Former Union minister Arun Shourie on Friday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his government's handling of the economy lacked a clear direction.

In an interview with Karan Thapar on Headlines Today ahead of the first anniversary of the Modi government, Shourie said there was no 'big picture' on the economy and that the government was focussing more on "managing headlines" than on implementing policies

"The situation is like the many pieces of a jigsaw puzzle lying scattered, with no big picture in mind on how to put them together."

Shourie was also dismissive of the Modi government's claims on achieving 8% economic growth rate as "hyperbole".

Without naming finance minister Arun Jaitley, he said the government lacked a stable approach in dealing with investors and that "lawyer-ly arguments" would not convince them.

The government was talking big on economic matters but nothing was happening on the ground, he added.

Shourie handled the ministries of disinvestment, communication and information technology in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and was one of the most influential idealogues in the BJP.

The former minister said the "trimurti" of Narendra Modi, Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were running the government and the party, and that other leaders were afraid of making corrective suggestions.

On the social front, Shourie said there was "great anxiety" among the minorities in the wake of the incidents of attack on Christian institutions and the "Ghar Wapsi" and "Love Jihad" campaigns.

The journalist-turned-politician was critical of Modi's "silence" on issues relating to social tensions on account of activities of right wing organisations and statements by some party MPs and leaders.

"You tweet when Sania Mirza wins championship or greet someone on birthdays but you don't do such things when moral questions are involved. People doubt why he is silent," he added.

Taking a swipe at Modi for wearing the controversial monogrammed suit, he said, "You cannot take Gandhiji's name and wear such a thing."

He said he did not understand who would have gifted Modi that costly suit and why the Prime Minister chose to wear it.

The BJP idealogue praised the government for improving relations with other countries but was critical on Modi's Pakistan policy. "The PM must free himself of the illusion of out-of-box thinking. Handling relations with Pakistan requires steadier thinking," he said.

Giving his assessment of the Prime Minister, Shourie said," I like him. He is the only person who can give us leadership."