Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Narendra Modi government had slashed subsidies for essential items like cooking gas — whose price has been raised again — but had handed over precious national assets to his friends.

The Congress announced that it would provide LPG cylinders for less than Rs 500 if it came to power at the Centre.

On a day the government raised the price of domestic cooking gas cylinders by Rs 50 and commercial cylinders by Rs 350, Rahul tweeted in Hindi: “Price of an LPG cylinder in 2014 during Congress rule was Rs 410 and the subsidy given was Rs 827. Under the BJP in 2023 the price is Rs 1,103 and the subsidy given is 0. In Congress Kaal, the subsidy gave relief to the people, while in Mitr Kaal people’s pockets are being picked and the nation’s assets have been handed to the ‘friend’ as a gift.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also attacked the Modi government for the crushing pre-Holi blow to the poor and asked for how long this firman (edict) of loot would continue.

Party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said: “The Congress governments in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan have started providing LPG cylinders for Rs 500. We will replicate this scheme at the national level. The cooking gas cylinder will not cost more than Rs 500 if the Congress comes to power in 2024.”

Alleging that Modi’s governance doctrine rested on crony capitalism, Vallabh said: “Milk price increased by Rs 8 a litre in 2022. Atta costs 40 per cent more in one year, vegetables are already out of reach of the poor. Clothes and other edible items are also costlier. Unemployment is at its peak.... If you ask uncomfortable questions, the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, income tax department and the police will chase you.”

Vallabh pointed to the latest GDP growth rate of 4.4 per cent and said: “No growth, no jobs, essential items are being unaffordable, but we are told it is Amrit Kaal and have to thank Modi ji for this.”

Vallabh said the government had confessed that the GDP growth had slowed because manufacturing had registered negative growth and private consumption had decreased. He said private consumption was down because people didn’t have money in hand.