The Congress on Wednesday lashed out at the government over ₹25 increase in LPG cylinder price and called it “anti-woman” while demanding an immediate reduction in the fuel prices.
“The decision to hike LPG prices is a reflection of the 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’s health,” said Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate.
The LPG cylinder price was raised on Tuesday. The cost of LPG cylinder in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai now is ₹860, ₹886, ₹860 and ₹875.
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Shrinate cited the import parity price, which determines the LPG price in the country, and added the cylinders should not cost more than ₹600. He asked why consumers were paying extra.
“When will the government realise that when people are going through an economic crisis, losing jobs, they cannot go ahead and distort their home budgets? Why is the government not doing anything to lower the prices?”
{{/usCountry}}“When will the government realise that when people are going through an economic crisis, losing jobs, they cannot go ahead and distort their home budgets? Why is the government not doing anything to lower the prices?”
{{/usCountry}}She took a dig at the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana for the distribution of free LPG connections to the poor women. “How many people you have given LPG connections can actually afford a cylinder at ₹860?”
An LPG cylinder cost ₹809 on June 1 and ₹834 on July 1.
Between January 1 and August 17, the price of domestic LPG cylinders has gone up by ₹165.