NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rise in prices of food items ahead of Diwali, saying the PM should set aside his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and focus instead on the concerns of the people.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which cited the RBI to state that the prices of certain food items are continuously rising which is impacting the expenses of every household.
Ramesh shared another media report which claimed that retail dry fruit prices have surged ahead of Diwali with prices of items like pista, almonds, cashews, and cardamom having risen by anywhere from Rs 10 to Rs 300 per kg.
In a post in Hindi, Ramesh pointed out that inflation continues to rise as per government data.
In such a situation, should an average family celebrate festivals or try to manage their household budget, he asked.
“The bitter truth behind the promises of ‘achhe din’ is manifesting in the form of ever-increasing inflation. Over the last four months, the price of onions has surged by 85%, and sugar by 34%,” he said.
In the past month alone, the prices of tomatoes, arhar dal, and chana dal have risen by 8.5%, 3.5%, and 3.1%, respectively. Just ahead of Diwali, the price of almonds has reached Rs 1,300 per kg, while the price of green cardamom has jumped by Rs 300,” Ramesh said.
The prime minister, who is quick to trumpet GDP figures, remains completely silent on the plight of the common people, he said.
“On one hand, runaway inflation has shattered household budgets; on the other, real (inflation-adjusted) income has either stagnated or declined over the last decade,” he said.
“Prime Minister, set aside your ‘Mann Ki Baat’, and focus instead on the concerns of the public,” Ramesh said.
The Congress has been flagging the issue of rising prices and accusing the government of following “anti-people” policies.
The government, however, has dismissed the claims and pointed to the GDP numbers.
