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 over fuel price hike, saying the Union government would now pin the blame for all its ''failures'' on the West Asia conflict to hide the ''collapse'' of its foreign and economic policies.

Questioning the Centre's repeated appeals for austerity, Mann said that no other country affected by the global crisis has asked its citizens to stop buying petrol, diesel, gas or gold, adding that the Narendra Modi government owes the nation answers on the actual status of India's reserves and not panic.

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.

Mann demanded that the Centre disclose the stock of fuel and LPG to the people of the country.

He also flagged many Union ministers' claims 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, not to buy gold, not to hold functions, and work from home.

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

The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that the same leadership that once claimed India would become a ''Vishwaguru'' has reduced the country to a ''Vishwachela.'' He alleged that the prime minister's foreign visits have yielded little for the masses, but a bountiful to a handful of favoured industrialists who accompany him abroad for business deals.

Mann said that the country cannot be run in such an ''irresponsible'' manner where the prime minister urges people to observe austerity measures while himself indulging in ''opulence.''.

''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?'' Mann said.

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

The chief minister warned the people that they will face more hardship in the coming days as fuel prices are expected to continue escalating.

''There will be no end to the agonies of the people as the Union government is suffering from an anti-people mindset. People will continue to reel under a massive burden as the Union government has just woken up from a deep slumber, as they were busy in election mode,'' he added.

Replying to another query, Mann slammed the Punjab BJP leadership for making ''baseless and irrational'' statements to mislead the people of the state.

''Punjab BJP leaders are completely unaware of the ground realities as they are just a mouthpiece of his own party and chant whatever his high command wants him to say,'' he said.

Mann said that he had raised the issue of DAP with the Union agriculture minister a few days ago and was assured that Punjab's requirements would be fully met.

Meanwhile, attacking the Centre, he derisively termed the ED, CBI, and the I-T dept ''wings of the BJP.''.

''These agencies are being misused by the Union government to arm-twist political opponents and make them join the saffron party for their vested interests. By targeting political opponents through these agencies, the BJP is stooping too low to muzzle the voice of democracy,'' he alleged.

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