Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday (May 1) lashed out at the Centre over the steep price hike of commercial LPG cylinders, dubbing the move as the “election bill”. His remarks come hours after the price of commercial LPG cylinders was hiked by a record Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on Friday.
Rahul, in a post on X, further stated that it was the biggest increase in a single day”, pointing out that he had warned of such a steep hike in LPG prices earlier.
Elaborating further, the Congress leader said that small businesses such as tea stalls, dhabas, hotels, bakeries, and sweet shops would be adversely affected by the LPG price hike, adding that the impact would also be felt in the common people’s kitchens. Rahul warned that after commercial LPG, petrol and diesel prices could be next in line to be increased.
Rahul’s inflation attack
“I had said it – the heat of inflation would come after the elections. Today, a commercial gas cylinder is ₹993 more expensive. The biggest increase in a single day. This is the election bill,” said Rahul.
Also Read: Commercial LPG price hiked by Rs 993, bulk diesel rates jump
“From February till now: ₹1,380 increase – a whopping 81% jump in just 3 months. Tea stall, dhaba, hotel, bakery, sweet shop – the burden on everyone’s kitchen has increased. And this will affect your plate too. First strike on gas, next strike on petrol-diesel,’ he added.
Rahul on Tuesday had alleged that the Modi government would soon increase the prices of petroleum products as the Assembly election in West Bengal would conclude on Wednesday and had already ended in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
Election warning
“Election relief over, inflation’s heat is on its way! After April 29th, watch out -petrol, diesel, everything will get expensive. When oil was cheap, the Modi government pocketed the profits. Now that it’s expensive, it’ll dump the burden on you. A government that loots when it’s cheap, leaving the public to bear the brunt of inflation,” he stated in a post on X.
Also Read: Fraudsters dupe panic-hit gas customers in Mumbai, Karnataka of nearly Rs 3 cr
During the day, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the LPG price hike and accused him of being unable to failing to implement his assurances on inflation and price stability.
Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to say that prices would not be increased and spoke about controlling inflation. “Today, I am seeing the reality. It seems he is unable to do what he said,” he told reporters in Kalaburagi.
Kharge slams PM Modi over LPG price hike
He also slammed people for still backing PM Modi.
“I do not understand public opinion. Why do people still justify such policies or ideologies that have brought the country into such a difficult situation? That is very surprising to me,” Kharge said.
Also Read: India’s LPG consumption drops 13% in March as West Asia conflict disrupts supply
However, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi defended the steep hike in commercial LPG cylinder refill prices, saying global energy prices also need to be taken into consideration.
Union Minister defends price hike
“Please check other parts of the world on how much prices have risen there. We could withhold to this extent,” he told reporters, declining to comment further.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on Friday, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
(With agency inputs)
Comments are closed.