Lalu Prasad Yadav attacks 'double engine' NDA govt for rising fuel prices & inflation

Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday lambasted 'double engine' NDA (National Democratic Alliance)-led government in the Centre over rising inflation. He also accused the government of robbing the common man. 

"Dear inflation, how are you associated with the double engine government? By making gas, oil, petrol-diesel, vegetables all expensive, this government is robbing the common man shamelessly," Lalu Yadav tweeted.

Earlier this month, Lalu had claimed that if all opposition parties come together they could bring down the Bharatiya Janata Party government. He blamed Congress and other parties' inabilities to form successful alliances. 

Fuel prices hiked for 4th day in a row

Lalu Prasad Yadav's remarks come at a time when fuel prices soared across the country for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday. Petrol and Diesel in Delhi now cost, Rs 105.84/litre and Rs 94.57/litre respectively. In Mumbai, petrol is priced at Rs 106.43 per litre and diesel is priced at Rs 97.68 per litre.

In August, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that that the excise duty on fuel prices cannot be cut, asserting that payments in lieu of past subsidised fuel pose limitations. During the UPA government, cooking gas, kerosene, diesel and petrol were sold at subsidised rates, she informed adding that the Congress government had issued bonds to state-owned oil companies to make up for the difference in artificially suppressed retail selling price of fuel and cost, grossing Rs 1.34 lakh crore. 

"If I did not have the burden to service the oil bonds, I would have been in a position to reduce excise duty on fuel. The previous government have made our job difficult by issuing oil bonds. Even if I want to do something I am paying through my nose for the oil bonds," she had said.

Meanwhile, the wholesale price-based inflation eased to 10.66% in September, assisted by moderating food prices. “The high rate of inflation in September 2021 is primarily due to rise in prices of mineral oils, basic metals, non-food articles, food products, crude petroleum & natural gas, chemicals and chemical products etc. as compared the corresponding month of the previous year,” the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement.