Centre will blame West Asia conflict for all its failures: Bhagwant Mann on fuel price hike

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday attacked the Centre, saying the Union government would now pin the blame for all its ''failures'' on the West Asia conflict.

He alleged that the Centre was pushing the country into an ''undeclared lockdown'' while ''hiding'' the true state of the economy from people.

''They will increase it many times. In reality, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji will now blame the war for everything. They will say the war is going on,'' Mann said while replying to a question on another increase in fuel rates.

The chief minister was speaking to reporters after launching a pilot project on underground electricity wires in Satoj village in Sangrur.

He said the Centre should disclose the stock of fuel and LPG to the people of the country.

He also flagged many Union ministers' claim earlier that there would be no increase in fuel prices.

''Now immediately after the conclusion of the assembly elections in several states, they have now started speaking about saving the country. But before the elections, the country was doing fine,'' Mann said, as he ascribed the hike in fuel prices to failed economic and foreign policies.

''Gradually, they are restricting everything. They are asking car owners not to use cars, they are asking people not to go to offices, do work for home, do not buy gold, do not hold functions.

''You should clearly say the country is to be locked down. It is the total failure of the central government,'' Mann said.

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits, Mann asked, ''When he visits abroad, what does he do there? Has he ever informed us? Has he ever held a press conference in the past 14 years?''.

''The war is in Iran. The US, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon are fighting. But why are restrictions imposed in our country? Why are such restrictions not imposed in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh? Why only India?'' he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)