India reeling under inflation & unemployment, PM Modi busy with photo ops: Trinamool

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday said that the BJP-led Centre is allegedly trying to divert the attention of the people from the real issues such as retail food inflation, income disparity and “soaring unemployment rates” in the country.

TMC alleged that retail food inflation increased to 9.53 per cent in December while retail onion inflation surged by 74.17 per cent in the same month. It alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been busy posing for photographs while the people of the country are struck by several issues.

TMC wrote on X: “@BJP4India’s governance appears illusory! In December, retail food inflation increased to 9.53%. Retail onion inflation surged by 74.17% in December. Annual food inflation for December 2022 hit 4.19%. While PM @narendramodi is busy striking poses, alarming issues strike people. It’s high time to focus the lens on real problems, not just photo ops!”

It further highlighted “income disparity across economic strata’’. Trinamool alleged that under the present Central government, the top 20 per cent of rich people have seen a 40 per cent rise in their income growth while people belonging to middle, lower middle or the poorest sections have seen negative income growth.

“@BJP4India may try to divert our attention from real issues before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, but WE WON’T FORGET: Widening income inequality between rich & poor. Drastic fall in industrial output. Soaring unemployment rates. Our voices against injustices will only grow louder!” TMC posted on X.

It highlighted that there are disparities among states in access to education, healthcare and basic amenities. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh are at the bottom, it stated.

The ruling party in Bengal has also alleged that under Narendra Modi’s leadership, the female employment rate dropped from 11.88 per cent (2016-17) to 7.96 per cent (2021-22) in rural areas. In urban areas, the female employment rate has dropped from 10.77 per cent to 5.57 per cent.