Congress Slams Centre Over Fuel Crisis and Farmer Woes

In a strong statement issued from Mumbai, state Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal held the Modi government squarely accountable for the fuel price surge and resulting economic distress. He told journalists that the administration's lack of a coherent energy policy has driven up costs of petrol, diesel, CNG and domestic LPG to unprecedented levels. Sapkal charged that the prime minister ignored early signs of scarcity while focusing on state elections, leaving citizens to face long queues and inflated bills. He added that oil marketing companies, both government and private, have reaped windfall gains from the hikes, while no buffer stock was created to protect consumers. Turning to agriculture, Sapkal said the recent meeting between Maharashtra ministers and Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah yielded nothing concrete for onion growers. The state government's offer of Rs 1,500 per quintal falls far short of the Rs 3,000 demanded by farmers, who also want NAFED to purchase their entire stock. Recalling Modi's 2014 visit to Nashik and the promise of Rs 2,400 per quintal, Sapkal described the current rate as a clear breach of trust. He threatened renewed agitation if the demands are not met and accused the ruling party of engineering communal clashes around festivals to polarize voters for future elections.