Mumbai, Jul 12 (FN Agency) Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday slammed the Modi government on issues like fuel prices hike, inflation, economy and agriculture laws. ‘Congress will raise such issues in the Parliament session, starting from July 19 onward,’ he underscored. Addressing a press conference at the Gandhi Bhavan here, Mr Kharge said that since the Narendra Modi government came to power at the Centre, petrol and diesel prices have been increased 326 times, while in the last two months, they have been increased 38 times.
‘Prices of petrol, diesel, LPG cylinders and edible oil have gone beyond the reach of the common man and the Modi government has earned Rs 25 lakh crore from fuel taxes,’ he claimed. He alleged that this money is not being used for the benefit of the people of the country or for the state government. ‘I will ask the Modi government to address the issue of fuel price hike and inflation in the coming Parliament session,’ he asserted. He said, ‘Under the UPA government, the central tax on fuel was increased from 9.48 per cent to Rs 32.90. During the UPA government, the price of crude oil was 111 per barrel, while petrol was Rs 71 per liter.’
He continued, ‘The price of an LPG cylinder is now Rs 834, and the subsidy on gas to the common man has been reduced to zero for the last several months. Modi had said that if the grant amount was credited directly to the beneficiary’s account, it would save Rs 15,000 crore every year, which means that the scheme has saved about Rs 1 lakh crore so far.’ ‘The Modi government does not spend all this money to provide relief to the common man and does not give it to the state governments. Rahul Gandhi had suggested that the Modi government should deposit Rs 6,000 per month in the bank accounts of the general public as per the ‘Justice’ scheme, but it was ridiculed. The revenue generated through cess belongs to the Centre from which the state governments do not get a single penny,’ he added.
He further said, ‘Pulses, Sunflower oil and soybean oil become dearer day by day. People are feeling the effects of this rise in prices but it has not benefited the farmers. The general public is being hit by this unjust administration of the Modi government and inflation has broken the backs of the common people.’ He highlighted, ‘The Modi government, which has promised to increase the income of farmers, has brought farmers to the streets. Farmers have been protesting for seven months at the Delhi border demanding repeal of three agricultural laws, but the Modi government is not ready to repeal the laws.’