Ashneer Grover, ex-co-founder and former MD of BharatPe, didn’t hold back in his response to Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent remarks about India’s startup scene. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Grover fired back, saying it’s not the entrepreneurs but the politicians who truly need a dose of reality.
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“In India, the only folks needing a ‘reality check’ wear khadi,” he wrote, clearly aiming his criticism at the political class. Grover defended the startup ecosystem, particularly consumer-tech businesses, highlighting how even China began its digital journey with food delivery platforms before stepping into more advanced tech sectors.
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“Let’s not forget, China’s tech wave started with food delivery too—deep tech came later. Maybe instead of preaching, our leaders should shoot for two decades of 10%+ GDP growth and then talk about vision,” he quipped.
Not stopping there, Grover took a pointed jab at the prevailing tone of political discussions in the country. “Might be a good time to shift the national conversation from history lessons to science and innovation. Appreciate you starting this conversation, Minister,” he added with a note of sarcasm.
