Will end loot if party comes to power at Centre: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the government over the hike in price of LPG cylinders, saying if it comes to power at the Centre, it would end the “loot” by providing cylinders for domestic users under Rs 500.

Cooking gas LPG price on Wednesday was hiked by Rs 50 per cylinder — the first increase in rates in almost eight months — that came within days of end of polling in three northeastern states and was sharply criticised by the Opposition. In Delhi, a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder now costs Rs 1,103, up from Rs 1,053, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the price of domestic cooking gas cylinder has been raised by Rs 50 and that of commercial gas cylinder by Rs 350 at a time when every person in the country is facing the brunt of high inflation.

“The public is asking - how to make Holi dishes now, for how long will these orders of loot continue? Every person is facing the brunt of back-breaking inflation implemented by (Narendra) Modi government,” Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in “mitra kaal” the pockets of the public are being cut and those of “friends” being filled. Comparing the price of LPG cylinders during the Congress’ tenure in 2014 and that of the BJP, he said while the price of a cylinder was Rs 410, the subsidy was of Rs 827, while under the BJP in 2023, the price of a LPG cylinder is Rs 1,103 and subsidy is nil. “In the Congress era there was relief in the form of subsidy, during ‘mitra kaal’ only the pockets of the public are cut and the country’s wealth is distributed to ‘Mitra’ (friends) in charity,” Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

Party spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said Prime Minister Modi has given a Holi “gift” to the people in the form of the LPG price hike.