Bhubaneswar, Aug 29 (IANS): Senior Congress leader Neeraj Dangi on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government's wrong economic policies were responsible for price rise and unemployment in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Dangi said: "There was a time when PM Modi dangled a dream in front of the people of India: a future free from inflation and unemployment. Instead, Modi has delivered a nightmare of record price rise and the highest joblessness in 45 years."
"The Prime Minister has not just failed to control price rise since coming to power in 2014, his misguided policies and deceitfulness have in fact exacerbated the sufferings of the people," he added.
The LPG cylinder, which was sold at a price of Rs 410 in 2014, now costs between more than Rs 1,053 to 1,240 per cylinder.
Similarly, the price of petrol and diesel have been increased by 40 per cent and 75 per cent respectively during Modi government's tenure, he said.
Modi used the Ujjwala Yojana to win votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections but soon after, he discontinued the cooking gas subsidies.
The price of LPG has more than doubled to between Rs 1,053 to 1,240 per cylinder and lakhs of consumers can no longer afford to refill their empty gas cylinders, he added.
The Congress MP said that Modi boasted to voters in 2019 how essential items like food grains, curd, lassi and buttermilk were GST-free but in 2022, he imposed GST on those very goods.
These are just two of the many examples where the Prime Minister deceived the people of India to win votes and then stabbed them in the back in line with his "Doob Maro" philosophy, he added.
The Modi government's policy decisions have resulted in drastic deterioration of the unemployment situation in the country. Demonetisation and hasty GST implementation had already dealt a body blow to the economy, Dangi alleged.
The government's anti-youth policies have led to 10 lakh vacancies in Central government, which is 24 per cent of the total sanctioned posts, he said, adding that the poorly conceived Agnipath scheme is a fresh threat to the job prospects of our youth as well as to national security.
Stating the Indian National Congress stands with the people in these difficult times, the Congress leader said: "From 'Sansad to Sadak', we have raised our voice against the incompetence and the misguided policies of the Modi government that have exacerbated price rise and joblessness in India."
He said that his party is going to hold a 'Mehangai Par Halla Bol' rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on September 4.