Goa’s Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Wednesday slammed the BJP-led Centre for the hike in the prices of LPG and said that even frying “pakodas” will now be difficult for the youth.

Cooking gas LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) price on Wednesday was hiked by Rs 50 per cylinder – the first increase in rates in almost eight months – that came within days of the end of polling in three northeastern states. Parallely, oil firms also hiked the price of commercial LPG, used in hotels and restaurants, by Rs 350.5 per cylinder.

In an indirect reference to Union home minister Amit Shah’s speech in Parliament in 2018 wherein he had said “better to sell pakodas than be jobless”, Alemao said, “A commercial LPG cylinder will cost Rs 2,118 with a hike of Rs 350 per cylinder. Now, even frying Pakodas will be difficult for educated unemployed youths.” He said a domestic LPG cylinder will now cost Rs1,117 with the latest price hike.

The Congress leader called the increase in the cooking gas rate another blow to the common man by the BJP-led government and said it will result in food items at restaurants and eateries becoming costlier.

Accusing the BJP of continuously putting a financial burden on the people, he said, “This hike will result in the complete collapse of household budgets. This is a financial emergency imposed by the insensitive BJP government on the middle class and poor.” Stressing that the Lok Sabha elections are just a year away, Alemao added, “Time has come for the people to realise the pro-capitalist and anti-poor agenda of the BJP government,” he added.

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