Why did the BJP Government impose GST on food items when no government has ever imposed -Dr Ragini Nayak
Despite the skyrocketing prices of vegetables, the plight of the farmer is pathethetic, who is on the verge of suicide—Delhi Congress
NEW DELHI, May 16, 2024---Congress spokesperson Dr Ragini Nayak said that price rise, inflation and unemployment have wrecked the lives of the people, but BJP Government, sitting on the shining throne of power, seems to be least concerned about the plight of the people, other than indulging in political rhetoric.
Addressing a press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan here today, Dr Ragini Nayak said that on the one hand, PM Modi indulges in political gimmics by calling the harassed and anguished women in the country as “sisters and daughters and 'laadli' (darlings)”, and on the other hand, the BJP makes fun of sisters and daughters as they bear the brunt of inflation and the wrong economic policies of the BJP Government. She said that if less food is prepared in the house due to compelling circumstances, then it is the woman of the house who eats less food, without vegetables, as her primary responsibility is to fill the stomach of her family members first. She said that the tears of the sisters and daughters of the country do not impact the BJP Government, as their autocratic government holds no room for care and consideration for the welfare of the poor, the downtrodden, the under privileges and common people.
Dr Ragini Nayak said that during the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, the BJP used to call inflation as 'witch', but under the BJP Government when prices of all items have soared, petrol-diesel, cooking gas, water shortage, lack of toilet facilities have made the lives of the people miserable. Modi ji calls it 'Acche Din' and 'Amrit Kaal'. She said that when Congress was in power at the Centre, people could buy bags full of goods with very little money, but under the BJP rule, very little goods can be bought with vallet full of cash. She said that BJP had promised to teach China a lesson, now bring tears into the eyes of the people when they buy a kg of tomato, as the vegetable costs an astronomical of Rs 250 per kg, Rs 80-100 for a kg of onion etc.
Dr Ragini Nayak said that the country's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had distanced herself from the rising onion prices by saying that "I don't eat onions", and if onions are expensive then people should stop eating them! She said that if the same yardstick was applied on petrol-diesel, then people would have to travel back in time by several decades and start travelling in bullock carts. She said that if LPG cylinder costs Rs 1100 per cylinder, then people should revert back to kerosene stoves for cooking foods. She said that if 2 crore jobs prove to be a “jhumla”, then young people will start frying pakoras with drain gas, though even for frying pakodas, cooking oil costs Rs 240 per litre, and BJP did not leave the youth worthy of fying even pakodas! She said that Modi ji was talking about ‘Mangalsutra’ recently, when gold price has soared to Rs 75,000 per gram. BJP has got so many mothers and sisters get ‘Mangalsutras’ made, but who who is snatching those ‘Mangalsutra’ from them?
Dr Ragini Nayak said that the country was staring at the highest inflation in 35 years; unemployment is the highest in 45 years; rupee has suffered the biggest fall in 75 years; who were responsible for the present plight of the country, though Modi Ji has been in power for the past 10 years?. Smriti Irani, who used to find a Rs 400 cooking gas cylinder and Rs 70 per litre of petrol expensive during the Congress tenure, is today sitting with a sour taste in her mouth over the Rs 1100 cost of a cooking gas cylinder and sharp rise in the prices of petrol and diesel in Delhi.
Dr Ragini Nayak said that the BJP Government has imposed GST on everything from food items like milk, curd, cheese, buttermilk to everyday essentials. Ironically, there is 5% GST on hospital beds and 1.5% on diamonds. In the last 7-8 years, the BJP government waived off loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of the capitalists. About Rs 1.5 lakh crore tax cut was made for the corporate sector. And Rs 27.5 lakh crore was collected from the general public as fuel tax, yet the BJP Government was talking about people’s welfare and making India a “Viksit Rajya”.
She said that wealth of BJP leaders friendly capitalists has increased by Rs 30 lakh crore, while the income of 8 out of every 10 families in the country has decreased. CSDS - Lokniti conducted a survey in Delhi and found that the income of 84% of the poor in Delhi is not enough to meet their needs. 75% of the poor admitted that the prices of essential food items, gas and electricity have increased. 9 out of 10 people believed that inflation has increased a lot in the last 2 years. 6 out of 10 people admitted that the cost of health and house rent has increased.
Dr Ragini Nayak said that in May 2014, when the price of crude oil in the international market was around 107$ per barrel, before the UPA government left, petrol in Delhi was around Rs 72 a liter, now it is Rs 95 a litre. Same was the case with diesel also. In May 2014 thr price was around Rs 55 a litre and now it is around Rs 88 a litre. The rate of CNG in Delhi was also around 38₹ per kg in May 2014 and reached 74₹ per kg in May 2024.
She said that a perusal of the data of the Department of Consumer Affairs from May 2014 to May 2024 shows that the price of chicken and fish in Delhi has increased by 95 percent; milk price has increased by about 50 percent, ghee by about 38 percent, wheat and flour, which are consumed in every household, have increased by 45 percent, mustard oil price has increased by about 38 percent, there has been an increase of about 50 percent in refined oil prices. 25 percent increase in peanut oil, 127 percent in the prices of arhar-toor dal and 101 percent increase in urad dal.
Dr Ragini Nayak said that the prices of vegetables, including onion, has increased by 54 percent, brinjal by 56 percent, potatoes by 22 percent, tomatoes by 100 percent, spinach and other greens have increased by 41 percent and other vegetables by 51 percent. This is also more than the 31.23 percent increase of petrol.
The cost of hospital treatment has increased by 71.6 percent and medicines have increased by about 55 percent in the last 8 years. If you eat food from outside, at a cart, kiosk or hotel, the expenditure has increased by about 55 percent. Bus fare has increased by about 54 percent. Tuition fees, everyone knows that during the pandemic and due to economic recession, middle class families faced the most difficulty in paying the tuition fees of their children, as it has increased by 51 percent. House rent has increased by 46 percent.
Along with inflation, the public is facing a double blow due to closure of business and lack of jobs. As I said, we faced the highest unemployment in 45 years during Modi ji's tenure. During Corona, 12 crore jobs were lost in just one month (April 2020). Thousands of start-ups were shut down. And the Modi government continued to make a profit of Rs 52 crore even after death. The reality is that today 42% of the youth in the age group of 20 to 24 are unemployed.
Not only this, due to inflation, cases of both malnutrition and starvation are increasing in India. By releasing the Malnutrition Index, the government itself tells how malnutrition is increasing among the people and India has reached 111th position in the Global Hunger Index, that is, reaching below Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan and becoming a 'world leader' in 'hunger'. This is the situation when Modi government is allegedly giving 5 kg free ration to 80 crore people. So, in whose warehouses does this ration remain and which rich merchant fills their bellies, is a question in itself. Yesterday a video went viral. There is a video from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, in which a Dalit watchman named Virendra Kumar is being beaten by two policemen outside the voting center by saying that he will eat free ration from BJP and will not vote. I want to know how this ration of BJP happened? Is Modi ji giving this ration by selling land and property?
To end the 10-year long 'injustice period' of the Modi government, Congress has come up with its 'Nyay Patra'.
Gandhiji's teachings - Congress has come up with its 'Nyaya Patra' to wipe the tears of the last person standing in the queue.
To provide relief from the double whammy of inflation and unemployment, Congress has come up with its 'Nyay Patra'.
Under the ‘Mahalakshmi’ scheme, we will give Rs 1 lakh annually to every woman from a poor family. As soon as the Congress and INDIA coalition government is formed, an amount of ₹ 8500 will reach the accounts of our sisters, daughters and mothers from July 1, 2024.
To provide full rights to half the population, women will get 50 percent reservation in new recruitments of the Central Government. While 'honoring the power', the Central Government's contribution towards mid-day meal and salaries of our Anganwadi sisters will be doubled.
By giving 'Bharti Bharosa' we will immediately fill 30 lakh vacant government posts and provide jobs. Through 'Pehli Naukri Pakki', every educated youth will be given Rs 1 lakh annually through apprenticeship. Will give legal status to MSP for farmer brothers. While 'respecting labour', we will increase the national minimum wage for labor brothers to Rs 400 per day.
The Chief Reporter,
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