New Delhi: Hitting out at the government over the rise in the cost of domestic cooking gas, the Congress on Wednesday accused it of an "anti-woman" move and demanded the immediate rollback of the price hike. Cooking gas LPG price on Tuesday was increased by Rs 25 per cylinder.
Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "The decision to hike LPG prices is a reflection of government's anti-women ideology. The high prices are forcing women to go back to cow dung cakes and firewood, which are not good for women health."
"At such a situation when the nation is witnessing economic distress, unemployment, government is raising LPG prices. These people cannot go ahead and distort their house budget. Why this government is not doing anything to lower the prices?" she further questioned.
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After the rise in prices, the LPG cylinders stood at Rs 860 in Delhi, Rs 886 in Kolkata, Rs 860 in Mumbai and Rs 875 in Chennai.
Citing the import parity price, Shrinate asserted that the LPG cylinders should not cost more than Rs 600 and even alleged the Center of "profiteering" and "extortion" for making people pay more.
She also questioned the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana, saying, "How many people you have given LPG connections can actually afford a cylinder at Rs 860?"
Congress leader Alka Lamba said, "I want to urge all the women of this country to come out and beat the plates in order to give a message to the Prime Minister that due to this inflation and unemployment, their plates have got empty."
Congress demanded that the government should roll back the decision of price hike immediately, giving relief to the common man for not distorting his/her household budget.
