Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 25 (ANI): With a fresh round of fuel price hikes across the country, Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'betraying the nation'.

Rai also expressed concern over the economic situation of the country marked by falling rupee and inflation.

'Our leader, the Rahul ji (Gandhi), has said that an economic storm is coming; well, that economic storm has arrived. You can see that earnings are not increasing; new avenues for income are not opening up for people. Jobs are not available, and businesses are not running. The government is piling tax upon tax, tax upon tax. The prices of diesel, petrol, gas, and CNG are rising, and the value of the dollar keeps increasing,' he told ani.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over foreign visits, Rai remarked, 'And Modi ji is on a foreign trip, travelling around. He is giving 'Melody' (toffees) to Meloni, while the public is dying.'

Rai alleged, 'People have now understood that Modi has completely sold out the country, ruined it, and is continuously betraying the nation,' while urging the government to provide immediate economic relief.

The remarks come amid a fresh round of fuel price hikes across the country, marking the fourth increase in less than two weeks amid volatility in global crude oil markets and geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Following the latest revision, petrol prices in Delhi crossed the Rs 100-mark, rising by Rs 2.61 to Rs 102.12 per litre, while diesel prices increased by Rs 2.71 to Rs 95.20 per litre.

The latest revision follows three earlier hikes on May 15, May 19 and May 23. Since then, cumulative hikes have hit nearly 7.5 per litre.

The sustained rise in fuel prices is being attributed to elevated global crude oil rates, currency fluctuations, and supply concerns linked to tensions in West Asia, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route. (ANI)