Kolhapur: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday criticised the Centre over rising prices, claiming the government would pay a “political price” as frequent hikes in essential commodities were burdening the common man.
People across the country were facing hardship due to inflation, the former Union minister claimed and questioned the government’s stand that price rise was under control.
“The hike may have started with just two rupees, but over time the increases have kept piling up, and today we can see how far the prices have risen. All of this has a direct impact on the finances and daily lives of ordinary people,” Pawar said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initially claimed his government would keep inflation under control, the NCP (SP) supremo said.
However, it now appears that their (Centre’s) idea of “control’ is to deliver these price shocks step by step, he added.
“Those responsible will have to pay a political price,” he said in response to media queries on the LPG price hike.
Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused the BJP of abandoning its earlier stand on price rise, and said the ruling party was no longer showing the same concern for issues affecting ordinary people as it had done while in the opposition.
In a statement, Wadettiwar said BJP leaders used to stage protests whenever cooking gas prices were increased during the UPA regime, but remained silent despite repeated hikes in fuel and LPG prices since coming to power.
“Commercial LPG cylinder prices have risen sharply over the past few months and petrol, diesel and CNG prices have also witnessed multiple revisions in recent years. Inflation was severely affecting household budgets and placing an additional burden on middle-class and economically weaker families,” the Congress leader claimed.
Domestic cooking gas LPG price has been raised by Rs 29 per cylinder, marking the second increase in three months as state-owned fuel retailers continue to grapple with elevated global energy costs.
The increase follows a Rs 60-per-cylinder hike on March 7 after the conflict in West Asia disrupted global energy supplies and drove up international fuel prices.
Meanwhile, the Union government on Sunday said Indian households continue to pay among the lowest prices for cooking gas globally despite a sharp rise in international PG prices triggered by disruptions due to the West Asia crisis that began on February 28 following a joint attack by the US-Israel on Iran.
In a statement, the government said the cost of supplying a domestic LPG cylinder has risen to more than Rs 1,600 following a surge in international prices that followed the outbreak of war in West Asia.
India’s LPG import costs are linked to the Saudi Contract Price (CP), the global benchmark for the fuel. The benchmark has risen about 46 per cent since February after disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz tightened supplies from the Gulf region, according to the statement.
