Modi govt has failed to control prices: Cong

Congress today stepped up attack on Narendra Modi government over the issue of rising prices, threatening to launch public protest if diesel prices are not brought down in proportion to the prices of international crude.
Party's senior spokesman Ajay Maken told reporters that increase in Railway Fares, Swachh Bharat Cess coupled with hike in petrol and diesel prices has burdened the common man already facing backbreaking price spiral.
Reminding the Prime Minister of his main electoral promise of controlling price rise, party's senior spokesman Ajay Maken told reporters that the government has "completely failed" on the score.
"The Congress Party demands that the diesel prices be immediately brought down in proportion to the price of the international crude. If it doesn't do so we will launch public protest throughout the country", he said.

He said even if one considered the prices according to Dollar-Rupee parity, the Price of diesel should be the same as Rs 34.44/litre and the Price of Petrol should be Rs 43.37/litre.
Noting that high prices of mustard oil, pulses, onions and tomatoes have hit hard the consumer, he said government's policies are causing a reduction in the disposable income of people.

"The Prime Minister tells us that inflation is under control, but one only needs to see the prices of pulses, onions, spices and mustard oil to call his bluff", he said.
Insisting that the international crude prices have come down by 60.74 per cent since the Modi Government took over on May 26, last year, the price of petrol and diesel should have also come down proportionately.

But in reality, the price of diesel has come down only by 17.47 per cent and that of petrol only by 14.49 per cent.
He said there is no reason for the government to increase the price of petrol and diesel, especially since there is immense rural distress and inflation in vital commodities.