Congress' Priyanka Gandhi criticises Budget for not 'addressing inflation'

Claiming that the Modi dispensation 'does not care' about the struggles of the common people, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said there is no mention of any measures in the Union Budget to combat rising inflation.

Addressing a public rally in Seemapuri on Sunday, she said, "Yesterday was the budget, they (govt) did not even talk about inflation, it was a one-hour speech. They said they will do this and that but did not speak once about inflation. What is your situation right now and what does the government do?"

Further talking about GST, she alleged that everyday items have been taxed, increasing costs for people, which in turn has made it difficult for people.

"I have been around the city, seen your life, your struggles, and it looks like your struggles have only increased. Despite working so hard in houses, as delivery in uber and ola, and yet you cannot earn much to be happy...Everything is expensive, everything has GST on it. Students get up for school, their socks, uniform, shoes everything has GST, even sarees, bindi, shawls have GST. Everywhere you see there is GST. Even petrol and diesel has GST," she added.

She remembered her time while staying in Seemapuri herself, claiming that she used to work in an NGO near a leprosy colony, seeing how people struggled at that time.

"People from all over the country migrate to Delhi to make their future. There are absolutely no jobs in Delhi. Does anyone listen to your struggles? You work day and night, even I have stayed here in this city. I used to work at an ashram here in Seemapuri, in an NGO, near the leprosy colony, I worked there for a while. There was a dispensary which used to give free medicine, and people used to line up for it," the Congress MP said.

Hitting out at Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi appealed to the people of Seemapuri on Sunday to be "careful" of anyone who claimed everyone else is a thief.

Priyanka Gandhi highlighted the allegations against Kejriwal regarding the now scrapped Delhi excise policy, announcing, "Kejriwal had said that we are honest, everyone else is a thief, be careful of those who say this. But now Kejriwal is trapped in the liquor scam."

She also took a hit at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of giving away all the electricity to the industrialists.

"Modi had said that Congress is a thief but he himself gave all the money to the industrialists. Electricity is expensive because he gave all the electricity to Adani," she said.

In another rally at Ghonda Chowk in Babarpur constituency, she claimed that both Kejriwal and PM Modi look to divert the attention of the people with their attacks on each other.

"Wherever Modi goes, he calls Kejriwal a thief. Kejriwal calls Modiji a thief. Both call themselves honest. This is a game. You know that both are not honest. The job of both is to divert the attention of the country."

As the Delhi assembly elections are just days away, the Congress, BJP and AAP are on the last leg of their campaigning, with each exchanging attacks against each other over various issues, including scams, Yamuna pollution, rising inflation, unfinished roads and various other issues.

The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5. The counting of votes will take place on February 8.