Congress slams Centre over rise in cooking gas prices

Rahul Gandhi shared a chart of the hike in LPG rates in the four metros since January

The Congress on Wednesday attacked the government over rise in prices of essential commodities including domestic cooking gas, with Rahul Gandhi saying the country is uniting against this injustice.

The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders across all categories including subsidised gas on Wednesday were hiked by Rs 25 per cylinder, the third straight increase in rates in less than two months.

Read more: Domestic LPG price hiked again: See rates

The former Congress chief hit out at the government over the rise in prices of domestic cooking gas and shared a chart of the hike in LPG rates in the four metros since January while using the hashtag "#IndiaAgainstBJPLoot".

The Congress party launched the campaign on social media using the hashtag and shared videos of common people from across the country narrating their woes regarding price rise.

The Congress has been attacking the government over the rise in petrol, diesel and LPG prices and has been demanding reduction in them by removing some of the taxes imposed by the central government.

"The one who is forcing the public to sleep empty stomach is himself sleeping under the shadow of friends....but the country is uniting against the injustice," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the prices of domestic cooking gas had doubled in the last seven years, and said "achche din" have come for the BJP to "loot" the country.

"March 1, 2014 - Gas cylinder cost Rs 410. September 1, 2021 - Gas cylinder cost Rs 884. In seven years, the cost has more than doubled. This is Modi ji's promise of 'Achche din'. BJP's 'achche din' of looting people's budgets," Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi, using the hashtag.

In a tweet in Hindi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said, "Prime Minister ji, There are only two types of 'development' taking place under your rule: On one hand the income of your billionaire friends is increasing, while on the other, the prices of essential commodities are increasing for the common people".

"If this is 'development', then the time has come to send this 'development' on leave," Vadra also said.

Congress social media department head Rohan Gupta said the party has received video messages from hundreds of common people across the country on the price rise and the problems faced by them and the party has shared them on its handles.

He said the Congress' hashtag "#IndiaAgainstBJPLoot" is trending in the country and has thousands of shares.

"We have received hundreds of videos from around the country of common Indians whose lives have been completely devastated by the ever increasing prices of basic commodities," he said.

Gupta said for the third month in a row the Modi government has increased the price of LPG cylinders.

Fuel prices have been increased over 67 times in the last eight months and the price of cooking oil has increased by over 50 per cent in a year.

"The cost of living is exorbitant and the poor and middle class simply cannot afford it. The people of India have had enough, they are speaking out against the Modi government. We must amplify their voices," he said.

Subsidised as well as non-subsidised LPG now costs Rs 884.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi, according to a price notification of oil companies.