Surjewala Criticises Centre Over Rising Prices, Calls April 1 a Burden on Citizens
Congress leader alleges inflation and increased charges are putting severe pressure on households across India
Bengaluru: Congress general secretary and Karnataka in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Tuesday strongly criticised the central government over rising prices, claiming that April 1 has turned into a day that brings added financial strain for ordinary people.
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, Surjewala accused the government led by Narendra Modi of placing an increasing burden on citizens through higher costs of essential goods and services. He said the steady rise in prices of food items, fuel, medicines, and daily necessities is making life difficult for families across Karnataka and the rest of the country.
He alleged that inflation is being used as a way to extract more money from the public. According to him, toll collections have significantly increased in recent years, which he described as unfair to commuters. Surjewala claimed that since the 2019 to 2020 financial year, around Rs 23,000 crore has been collected from Karnataka alone through toll charges. He added that toll fees are set to rise further by about five percent from April 1.
Referring to the Bengaluru Mysuru highway, he said that toll collection had already generated around Rs 900 crore, even though the project was not fully completed.
The Congress leader also raised concerns about rising healthcare costs. He stated that prices of around 900 essential medicines are expected to increase from April 1, including drugs used to treat conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. This, he warned, would make treatment more expensive for patients.
Surjewala further highlighted the growing costs in sectors like construction and manufacturing. He pointed out that materials such as steel, cement, PVC, and bitumen have become more expensive, which could affect housing and infrastructure projects and ultimately impact consumers.
He also mentioned the rise in fuel and travel expenses, claiming that cooking gas prices have gone up significantly over time. In addition, he said that airfare and other transportation costs are increasing, adding to the financial pressure on people.
Bringing attention to postal services, Surjewala said that speed post charges have risen by 34 percent, further adding to everyday expenses.
Questioning how citizens are expected to cope, he urged the Prime Minister and the ruling party to address the issue of inflation before seeking public support in elections. He said the continuous rise in prices is affecting people from all sections of society.
