New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over rising fuel prices and the NEET paper leak controversy, accusing the Narendra Modi government of burdening citizens while remaining silent on issues affecting students and youth.
Targeting Modi over the increase in petrol and diesel prices, Gandhi alleged that fuel rates were being raised in phases to avoid public backlash.
Calling the PM “Inflation Man Modi”, the Congress leader claimed he had been warning about an “economic storm” for months and alleged that the government delayed the fuel price hike until after the elections.
“Promises during elections, and attacks on people’s pockets afterwards,” Gandhi said in a post on X, while criticising the Centre’s economic policies.
Petrol and diesel prices witnessed another increase on Monday, the fourth revision in the past 10 days, as global crude oil markets remained under pressure due to escalating tensions in West Asia.
State-owned oil marketing companies announced fresh hikes in fuel rates across several parts of the country, with petrol and diesel becoming costlier by more than Rs 2 per litre in many states.
The latest revision comes against the backdrop of continued uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important shipping route for global crude oil supplies. Concerns over possible disruptions in the region have contributed to volatility in international oil prices in recent days.
Meanwhile, the Congress MP also raised the issue of the NEET paper leak controversy, saying the future of nearly 22 lakh students was at stake while the government continued to remain silent on the matter.
Demanding accountability, Gandhi said the protests would continue until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns and a foolproof mechanism is introduced to prevent examination paper leaks in the future.
The remarks come amid continuing political sparring between the opposition and the BJP-led NDA government over inflation, unemployment, and alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
