Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 19 (ANI): Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rising prices of essential commodities, including fuel and fertilisers, characterising the situation as a 'clear economic failure' of the Central government.

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge alleged that the Prime Minister lacked the necessary foresight and vision to navigate the escalating national and international economic challenges.

The Congress chief expressed deep concern over the continuous depreciation of the Indian rupee against the US dollar and warned of further economic strain on the common man.

'The repeated hikes in the prices of petrol, diesel, and gas and now, even fertiliser prices will rise. The things that are happening, I want to ask Modi ji: did you not foresee these developments? Did you not give them any thought? On one hand, we are facing a situation akin to a world war. Despite being fully aware of all this, PM Modi said there is no problem in our country, and everything is fine,' Congress president Kharge told reporters.

He further added, 'While the value of the dollar remains stable, the value of the rupee continues to plummet. Today, the rupee has depreciated significantly; within just a day or two, the exchange rate could very well hit 100 rupees to a single dollar. This constitutes a clear economic failure on Modi's part.'

The veteran leader also questioned the outcomes of Prime Minister Modi's extensive international travels, demanding transparency on the investments brought into the country.

'Secondly, he has failed to exercise the necessary foresight and vision required for the future. He says not to travel abroad, but he himself is coming after visiting 5 countries. You have now visited hundreds of countries. Having visited all these nations, tell us: what agreements or MoUs did you actually sign? How much investment has flowed in?' Kharge asked.

Kharge urged the PM Modi to acknowledge the governance gaps and work collaboratively with all stakeholders.

'Modi ji must realise that these are his shortcomings, his failures. Only by bringing everyone together can we effectively resolve such complex problems. Until this realisation dawns upon him, the state of the nation will remain exactly as it is now,' the Kharge stated.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament Manoj Kumar Jha on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Central government over the recent spike in petrol and diesel prices, stating that essential commodities have gone completely out of the common man's reach due to relentless inflation.

Speaking to ANI, the RJD leader dismissed the government's justification for the price hike, accusing the administration of minimising a major economic burden on citizens.

'Today, these people are saying that this is a minor increase. Today, many things have gone out of people's reach. Milk has gone out of people's reach. The quantity in small food packets has been reduced,' Jha said, highlighting the impact of shrinkflation and rising costs on everyday household budgets.

The Rajya Sabha MP further questioned why the benefits of lower international crude oil prices were never passed on to the public during global market dips, alleging that fuel companies pocketed the margins instead.

'When the price of crude oil was at its minimum, why was this benefit not passed on to consumers? At that time, the oil companies had made profits,' Jha pointed out.

The fuel prices across the country witnessed a sharp increase today, as petrol and diesel rates were hiked by an average of 90 paise per litre. In Delhi, petrol prices rose by 87 paise, climbing from Rs 97.77 to Rs 98.64 per litre, while diesel prices increased by 91 paise, moving from Rs 90.67 to Rs 91.58 per litre.

This marks the second increase in fuel rates in less than a week. Earlier, the central government increased the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre each on May 15 across the country.

These hikes come amid a call for fuel conservation as the world faces an energy crisis amid the West Asia conflict, which led to a blockade in the significant maritime trade route, the Strait of Hormuz. (ANI)