Millions waging difficult battle against extreme inflation: Rahul
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday slammed the government over the hike in the price of domestic LPG cylinders with former party chief Rahul Gandhi stating that millions of Indian households are waging a difficult battle against “extreme inflation”, unemployment and “poor governance.
The Opposition party also said the central government should roll back the hike in the price of the domestic cooking gas cylinder and bring it to the same level as it was for the subsidised cylinder in 2014.
The price of domestic LPG cylinders was raised by Rs 50 on Saturday. With the latest revision, the 14.2 kg domestic cylinder will now cost Rs 999.50/cylinder.
Gandhi said during the Congress-led UPA government, the price of an LPG cylinder was Rs 414 and a subsidy of Rs 827 was being given on every cylinder.
The Narendra Modi government has removed all safety nets that the Congress had put in place to protect the common man, Gandhi alleged.
“The Congress party would have never let this happen. We have and always will support families in need,” he said with the hashtags ‘Mehengaimuktbharat’ and ‘Bjpfailsindia’.
After the news of a hike of Rs 50 in the price of domestic LPG cylinders, Congress also claimed that the Modi government has increased the price of subsidised cooking gas by over
Rs 585 in the last eight years and also ended the subsidy that was given.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted, “BJP is rich, people are helpless. The price of subsidized LPG cylinders has increased two and a half times under the BJP rule. LPG cylinder is now out of reach of the middle class and the poor.”
According to him, the price of a subsidised gas cylinder in Delhi in May 2014 was Rs
414, which has now become Rs 999.50, an increase of more than Rs 585.
Surjewala urged the government to “bring down the price of subsidised cooking gas to the level of 2014”.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also took a dig at the government over inflation by garlanding two gas cylinders and lighting incense sticks in front of vegetables at the party headquarters. He said this was a condolence meeting for the gas cylinder.
“Our demand is to give some relief to the country. Take back the hike and bring prices to the level of 2014 prices. The country is begging for relief,” he said.
Sachin Pilot too slammed the Centre over the hike in the price of domestic LPG, saying the BJP government is duping the people of the country.
“Every morning, the misgovernance of the central government brings new difficulties. The price of domestic gas cylinders has increased beyond Rs 1,000. This is like sprinkling salt on the wounds of the people, especially the poor and the middle class,” Pilot tweeted in Hindi.
“The BJP is duping the people of the country by ensuring their income and savings are eclipsed by inflation,” he added.
The Congress also said the central government should roll back the hike in the price of domestic cooking gas cylinders and bring it to the same level as it was for the subsidised cylinder in 2014.