New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday hit out at the Narendra Modi government at Centre over retail inflation soaring to a five and half year year high at 7.35 per cent, saying the BJP has "kicked" on the stomach of the poor after stealing money from their pockets.

In a tweet, Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh said, "Prices of vegetables and food items are getting out of reach for common man. What will the poor eat when the prices of vegetables, edible oil, pulses and wheat flour become expensive? And due to recession people are not getting even work. The BJP government after stealing money from the pockets of people has now kicked on their stomach."

Her remarks came a day after massive rise in food prices lifted India's December retail inflation to a 65-month high at 7.35 per cent from 5.54 per cent in November, official data showed on Monday.

As per the data furnished by the National Statistical Office, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December was higher than the corresponding period of last year when retail inflation stood at 2.11 per cent.

Similarly, the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) inflated to 14.12 per cent during the month under review from an expansion of 10.01 per cent in November 2019 and (-)2.65 per cent rise reported for the corresponding period of last year.

In addition, the data assumes significance as the Reserve Bank of India in its last monetary policy review maintained the key lending rates on account of rising retail inflation.