Rahul Gandhi on Saturday blasted the “most incompetent” government for the precipitous financial burden on the poor, arguing that the first page from the book of “tanashahi (dictatorship)” is to take decisions on whims and impose them on the people.

Lamenting that the government took decisions unilaterally without assessing people’s mood or consulting Opposition parties, the Congress leader said even parliamentary scrutiny had become a thing of the past.

This is Rahul’s firstcomment on rising prices amidst the political storm on the Adani affairs and hisdisqualification from Parliament.

In a Facebook post, Rahul said: “Price rise is one of the most complex problems of India today. The responsibility lies with the most incompetent government of India’s history.

“The prices of medicine have been quietly raised by 11% this year. Cost of healthcare and education is skyrocketing. And all these are essential expenditure, integral part of people’s life.

“While the government should gradually make these services free, it is making healthcare and education costlier.”

He asserted: “It is not for nothing that I call this‘Jeb-katri sarkar (pickpocket government)’. Your pocket is picked but this is not being debated anywhere; neither on your favourite TV channel, nor in the government’s announcements. What’s being discussed is communalissues, or fake narratives are woven.”