3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 26, 2026 12:43 PM IST
FOLLOWING ANOTHER hike in fuel prices, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over rising inflation, unemployment and the state of the economy, alleging that the BJP-led government had failed to provide relief to people facing financial distress.
The CPI(M), following the conclusion of its three-day Central Committee meeting, issued a statement in which it termed rising prices of fuel, together with the austerity measures, “an enormous burden on the people”. The Samajwadi Party alleged the BJP had ushered in an era of inflation in the guise of Amrit Kaal.
Kharge alleged that the country’s economy was “collapsing” and that the Prime Minister had “no vision” to govern the country effectively, adding that people across the country were burdened by rising prices and unemployment.
Holding the PM directly responsible for the increase in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices, the Congress president termed the situation a “government-created crisis”, stressing that prices of essential commodities had risen sharply, making survival difficult for the poor and lower middle class.
Drawing a comparison with the Congress-led UPA government, Kharge said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had protected citizens from the burden of rising global crude oil prices through subsidies even during international economic crisis while the NDA government, in contrast, was “only engaged in exploiting the public”.
The CPI(M) said the fuel prices were hiked immediately after the election results were announced and, in the last 11 days, petrol and diesel prices have been raised by over Rs 7 per litre through multiple hikes.
“The rising prices of fuel, together with the austerity measures are an enormous burden on the people, who are struggling to ensure that they get at least one proper meal per day,” it stated.
“The government has spectacularly failed to ensure the strategic security of our energy resources, which led to most of these hardships for the people. The party will actively mobilise people and resist the burdens imposed by the government in the name of austerity,” it added.
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The Samajwadi Party, in a post on X, stated, “The BJP’s inflation onslaught shows no signs of stopping, making life unbearable for the people! Petrol and diesel prices hiked for the fourth time in 10 days. Petrol up by 2.61 rupees and diesel by 2.71 rupees per litre. By calling it Amrit Kaal, the BJP has ushered in an era of inflation. We don’t want BJP anymore.”
