The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the Centre over a massive hike in the prices of LPG gas cylinder, calling it "uncalled for" and demanded its immediate rollback.
Addressing the mediapersons here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "The Narendra Modi government has today electrocuted the budget of a common man. It has attacked the budget of India's women. They have increased the price of non-subsidized gas cylinder by Rs 144."
Surjewala said, "On May 16, 2014, the price of non-susbsidized cylinder was Rs 414. After five-and-a-half years under Modi government, it is Rs 858.50."
"I want to remind the Prime Minister that when Congress demitted power in 2014 the price of each LPG cylinder was Rs 414 only. This is an increase of 110 per cent in the price of gas cylinder in five-and-a-half years. If a family uses 12 cylinders, then there will be an additional cost of Rs 5,334 per family in a year," he said.
"The susbsidized cylinder was Rs 412, it is 567 today an increase of Rs 155. If we use 12 cylinders then this price will go up by almost Rs 2,000," the Congress spokesperson added.
Surjewala said that the Modi government has slashed food subsidies by Rs 68,650 crore.
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He said if people think of going back to kerosene, then it wouldn't be cheap either as the kerosene subsidy has also been slashed by Rs 3,659 crores.
"At a time when the international price of crude oil has fallen, why should there be an uncalled for increase in the price of gas cylinders? We demand this hike should be immediately rolled back," the Congress leader said.