Congress President Criticizes Modi Government Over Rising Inflation

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for the rise in inflation and unemployment, citing the soaring prices of tomatoes reaching ₹160 per kg in Visakhapatnam. According to official data, the disruption in tomato supply due to rainfall in the producing regions has led to retail prices surging to ₹155 per kg in major cities. Metropolitan areas have witnessed tomato prices ranging from ₹58 to ₹148 per kg, with Kolkata recording the highest price and Mumbai the lowest.

In Delhi and Chennai, prices were recorded at ₹110 per kg and ₹117 per kg, respectively. The consumer affairs ministry's data indicates an average retail price of ₹83.29 per kg and a modal price of ₹100 per kg nationwide.

Kharge expressed his dissatisfaction with the Modi government, accusing them of causing both inflation and unemployment to rise continuously. He criticized the BJP for being solely focused on power and disregarding the skyrocketing vegetable prices. Kharge also highlighted that the unemployment rate in the country had reached 8.45%, with rural areas experiencing an unemployment rate of 8.73%. In a tweet in Hindi, he conveyed his concerns about the government's actions.

Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior leader of the Congress party, accused the government of attempting to conceal its shortcomings through advertising campaigns. He stated that the public was well aware that prior to elections, the government relied on slogans like 'Acche Din' (Good days) and 'Amrit Kaal' (Golden era) to mask its failures with the aid of advertisements. However, Kharge emphasized that this time, the strategy would not work as the people had become informed and would respond to these empty slogans by voting against the BJP.

The cost of vegetables in Patna has experienced a significant surge since the beginning of May. Although the highest increase has been observed in tomato prices, other vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, and ladyfinger have also seen a sharp rise in prices. The price of cauliflower has risen from ₹40 per kg in early May to ₹60 per kg. Similarly, cabbage prices have increased to ₹60 per kg from the range of ₹30-40 per kg. Additionally, the prices of potatoes and onions have slightly risen from ₹20 per kg in early May to ₹30 per kg in July.

Meanwhile, in West Bengal, vegetable prices have also skyrocketed, particularly for chillies and tomatoes, which have witnessed an increase of over 200% in the past two weeks. However, the price of tomatoes, previously ranging from ₹40 to ₹50 per kg a few weeks ago, has now surged to ₹130-150 per kg. Similarly, green chillies have seen a sharp increase in price, rising to ₹300-350 per kg from ₹150 per kg just a week ago. Other vegetables have also experienced a significant price hike of around 30-50%.

According to an official from a traders' association, the situation is equally dire in the districts, where vegetable prices have soared. Kamal Dey, the president of the West Bengal Vendors Association, attributed the price rise to extreme heat and insufficient rainfall. He explained that the crops have dried up and wilted, resulting in a shortage of vegetables.