R Govindarajan, father of Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, has said that his son might have stayed on for a second term had the government responded more promptly after attacks on him begun. “I feel if the government had responded promptly when the attacks started, possibly he wouldn’t have come to this decision,” Govindarajan told The Indian Express. Rajan’s mother Mythili Govindarajan also said, “Let anyone question his policies, or style of functioning. But isn’t it unfair attacking someone personally, questioning his patriotism?”

Rajan announced on June 18 that he will not be taking a second term as RBI governor after his tenure ends on September 4. His move came after continued criticism of him by Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Subramanian Swamy. While announcing his decision to not take a second term as RBI governor, Rajan had said he would always be “available to serve my country when needed”.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally broke his silence on the topic and said that Rajan was a true patriot and that people who criticised him did “a great injustice to him”. “As much as I know Raghuram Rajan, whatever post he holds, wherever he is, he is someone who will continue to serve the country. He is someone who loves his country,” Modi had said. Swamy had alleged that Rajan was attempting to “wreck the Indian economy” and had demanded his suspension. He also claimed Rajan was mentally "not fully Indian".