On the skyrocketing fuel and commodity prices, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) President Mohan Markam addressed a joint press conference in Chhattisgarh on Thursday at state Congress party headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan.
He alleged that prices of fuel and essential commodities are skyrocketing due to the wrong policies of the BJP government at the Centre. It was intentionally done "to benefit conglomerate friends of Prime Minister Modi such as Adani and Ambani", alleged Markam.
"The Central government has hiked the prices of fuel, edible oil, and essential commodities because Modi's friends have ventured into the commodity business. Even in lockdown they reaped soaring benefits. Their accumulated wealth burgeoned meanwhile the common people of the were left on the mercy of the God", said Markam while talking to the press.
Markam taunted that in 2014 the BJP came into power criticizing and defaming United Progressive Alliance (UPA) policies and price hike. "Contrary to it, just after it came to power, the BJP government retrograde from its pre-poll commitments and position.", he added.
Right now, the fuel prices have touched the mark of Rs 100 per litre in the country but the BJP is mum over the issue, he said.
"Excise duty on petrol has been hiked four times during the BJP regime meanwhile excise duty on diesel increased by 10 times. Altogether, 459 per cent hike has been made on petrol and diesel", Markam alleged. "If the situation continues, inflation may turn into a national disaster after the Covid-19 pandemic", he said.
He alleged that the abrupt implementation of draconian diktat like demonetization, Goods and Services Tax (GST) mixed with wrong policies of Modi government, is pushing the fastest growing nation into financial crisis. "Thus, to oppose anti-people policies, all Congress leaders stage demonstrations in front of their houses on June 5", Makam said.
However, former BJP Minister Kedar Kashyap countered the allegations and said, in BJP’s seven years work tenure the inflation and price hike both remained under control. "Congress leaders must come out from ‘Modi Phobia’ and must compare the prices of the UPA government", Kashyap added.
