Govt burdening common people: Kharge attacks Centre over fuel price hike

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the latest increase in petrol and diesel prices, accusing the government of shifting the burden of its “policy failures” onto ordinary citizens amid rising global crude oil prices.

His remarks came after state-run oil marketing companies raised fuel prices for the second time in less than a week, triggering fresh political criticism from the opposition.

In a post on social media platform X, the Congress president alleged that the government was repeatedly increasing fuel prices despite earlier assurances and public messaging on economic discipline.

“It has been barely four days since the last price hike, and the Modi government has once again raised the prices of petrol and diesel,” Kharge said.

“After setting the stage with elaborate rhetoric and preaching the virtues of frugality, the process of shifting the burden of their own failures onto the public is currently in full swing,” he added.

Kharge also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over India’s oil imports and foreign policy approach, particularly regarding the purchase of Russian crude oil.

“Mr. Modi — who falsely boasts of being a ‘Vishwa Guru’ — has had to plead and beg the United States just to secure a one-month extension of permission to purchase Russian oil,” Kharge alleged.

“By doing this repeatedly, he wounds the self-respect of 1.4 billion Indians. No previous government has ever resorted to such measures before,” he claimed.

Questioning the justification for the repeated fuel price hikes, the Congress chief asked why ordinary citizens were still being made to bear the burden despite the government claiming that oil imports had been permitted.

“Now the question arises: if, according to the government, we have been ‘allowed’ to do this, then why is the burden of petrol and diesel prices still being imposed upon the common people?” he said.

Kharge further accused the BJP-led government of lacking “foresight and leadership” in handling the economic situation and alleged that it remained focused on elections instead of addressing the crisis.

“I reiterate once again: the BJP suffers from a severe lack of foresight and leadership,” he said.

He also accused the government of relying on publicity campaigns instead of accountability.

“One does not become a ‘Vishwa Guru’ merely by engaging in sponsored PR campaigns abroad,” Kharge said. “Mr. Modi, one must demonstrate accountability towards the public.”

In a swipe at the prime minister’s public appearances and interviews, Kharge remarked that citizens were not interested in “trivialities” but wanted concrete answers on how the government planned to tackle the rising economic burden.

“The public is not interested in trivialities such as ‘how you eat mangoes’ or ‘which tonic you consume’,” he wrote.

“You will truly earn the title of the public’s ‘Pradhan Sevak’ only if you provide answers regarding what you are personally doing to address this crisis; otherwise, you will remain nothing more than a mere ‘Pracharak’,” he added.

With IANS inputs