Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi on Wednesday reacted sharply to the hike in liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder prices, pointing out that as unemployment is at its peak, citizens are forced to make such expensive purchases for a critical household good. "The connection cost increased from ₹1,450 to ₹2,200. The security increased from ₹2,900 to ₹4,400. Even the regulator is costlier by ₹100," the Pilibhit MP's tweet, translated from Hindi, read.
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"The poor's kitchen is again filled with smoke," Gandhi said.
On Wednesday, the price of domestic LPG cylinders weighing 14.2 kilograms was hiked by ₹50 per cylinder, the third increase in rates since May on firming international energy prices.
In Delhi, the price climbed to ₹1,053. In Mumbai, customers will now have to pay 1,052.50, compared to the previous price of ₹1,002.50 per cylinder. In other cities too - Bengaluru, Kolkata, Srinagar, and Bhopal among others - the cylinder is now costlier.
{{/usCountry}}In Delhi, the price climbed to ₹1,053. In Mumbai, customers will now have to pay 1,052.50, compared to the previous price of ₹1,002.50 per cylinder. In other cities too - Bengaluru, Kolkata, Srinagar, and Bhopal among others - the cylinder is now costlier.
{{/usCountry}}The price of a five kilogram cylinder also increased - by ₹18 per cylinder.
However, the price of a 19 kilogram commercial cylinder has decreased by ₹8.50.
Apart from Varun Gandhi, the Congress has also criticised the LPG cylinder price hike.
Addressing a press conference, spokesperson Ragini Nayak said, "I want to ask the Modi government - who can buy such an expensive LPG cylinder? Those eight crore citizens who have gone below the poverty line (BPL) in eight years... those farmers whose daily income is at ₹27.. or those women whose household budget is deteriorating due to inflation."
Varun Gandhi, who has emerged as a critic of the Narendra Modi government over the past months, earlier took a swipe at 'Agnipath' - the new armed forces recruitment scheme.