Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday came down heavily on the Narendra Modi-led central government after it announced a hike in LPG cylinder prices, accusing it of being indifferent to the struggles of the common people.
“Price rise is at its peak. This government is only for the rich, not the poor. They won’t talk about the real issues. Inflation will further increase under their rule,” Tejashwi said while addressing reporters in Bihar.
The criticism came a day after Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced a ₹50 hike in the price of both subsidised and non-subsidised LPG cylinders. The new pricing came into effect on Tuesday.
“The price per cylinder of LPG will increase by ₹50. From ₹500, it will go up to ₹550 for PMUY (Ujjwala scheme) beneficiaries, and for others, it will rise from ₹803 to ₹853,” said Puri at a press briefing, adding that the government would “review these prices every 2-3 weeks.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also took a sharp dig at the Centre, questioning whether it wanted people’s kitchens to function or for hunger to burn in their bellies.
“Should the stoves in people’s homes be burning — or should their stomachs be burning with hunger? If you can’t help, at least don’t hurt,” Stalin posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling the BJP government’s approach “sadistic.”
Adding further pressure on household budgets, the Union government also raised excise duties on petrol and diesel by ₹2 per litre, effective immediately. A notification by the Department of Revenue confirmed the increase.
Excise duty on petrol has gone up from ₹19.90 to ₹21.90 per litre, while duty on diesel has increased from ₹15.80 to ₹17.80. This comes even as crude oil prices have dropped globally—from over $70 per barrel to $63 per barrel—boosting margins for oil marketing companies.
As of Tuesday, petrol in Delhi is retailing at ₹94.77 per litre, while diesel is selling for ₹87.67.
