Bhagwant Mann alleged that the Centre would now blame all its “failures” on the West Asia conflict amid rising fuel prices and austerity measures.
Mann claimed the government was pushing India towards an “undeclared lockdown” by urging people to cut fuel use, avoid functions and work from home.
Targeting Narendra Modi, the Punjab CM questioned the PM’s foreign visits and said the Centre should disclose the country’s fuel and LPG reserves.
Bhagwant Mann Accuses Centre of Using West Asia Crisis to Hide Economic Failures
Punjab chief minister says fuel price hikes and austerity calls amount to an “undeclared lockdown” imposed by the Centre.
Summary
Bhagwant Mann, the chief minister of Punjab, criticised the Centre on Tuesday, claiming that the Union government would now attribute all of its "failures" to the crisis in West Asia.
He claimed that by "hiding" the actual situation of the economy from the public, the Centre was forcing the nation into an "undeclared lockdown".
"They will increase it many times. In reality, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji will now blame the war for everything. They will say the war is going on," Mann said while replying to a question on another increase in fuel rates.
The chief minister was speaking to reporters after launching a pilot project on underground electricity wires in Satoj village in Sangrur.
He said that the nation's citizens should be informed about the Centre's fuel and LPG inventory.
He also called attention to the earlier claims made by other Union officials that fuel costs would not rise.
"Now immediately after the conclusion of the assembly elections in several states, they have now started speaking about saving the country. But before the elections, the country was doing fine," Mann said, as he ascribed the hike in fuel prices to failed economic and foreign policies.
"Gradually, they are restricting everything. They are asking car owners not to use cars, they are asking people not to go to offices, do work for home, do not buy gold, do not hold functions.
"You should clearly say the country is to be locked down. It is the total failure of the central government," Mann said.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits, Mann asked, "When he visits abroad, what does he do there? Has he ever informed us? Has he ever held a press conference in the past 14 years?" "The war is in Iran. The US, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon are fighting. But why are restrictions imposed in our country? Why are such restrictions not imposed in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh? Why only India?" he said.
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