BJP failed to check soaring food prices in Assam, Congress will arrest inflation: Alka Lamba

Congress leader Alka Lamba on Friday alleged that the BJP-led government in Assam has failed to check the soaring food prices and promised that her party will arrest inflation if voted to power in the state.

She accused the saffron party of not listening to people's demand for checking price rise.

"The double CM, the double-engine government seems to be adding double misery to the people of Assam.

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"While the focus should have been on increasing disposable income in the hands of the people of Assam, this indifferent government, coupled with the Centre, has dealt a blow to the pockets of the common man," she told reporters.

An exorbitant rise in fuel and food prices has forced the people of Assam to cut down food consumption, which will have a lasting impact on the health of children as lakhs of people are forced to consume food low on nutrition and protein, she said.

"What the double engine has done is that when one engine withdraws the additional cess of 25 per cent imposed during Covid-19, the other engine hikes petrol and diesel prices. The passenger suffers, because she/he ends up reaching nowhere," Lamba said.

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The country's retail inflation rose from 4.06 per cent in January this year to 5.03 per cent in February, while Assam's inflation rate on food and beverages increased by 150 per cent between 2016-17 and 2019-20, from 2.1 per cent to 5.5 per cent, she said.

AICC spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said the fuel prices haven't increased since the announcement of election dates on February 26.