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Kapil Sibal on Friday criticised the Centre over rising prices of petrol, diesel, CNG and milk, taking a swipe at the government’s “achhe din” slogan.

The Rajya Sabha MP said the Indian rupee, which was around 58 against the US dollar before Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, has now weakened to nearly 95 per dollar. He also pointed to the recent increase in fuel and milk prices, saying petrol prices have gone up by Rs 3, while diesel, CNG and milk have also become costlier.

Why Was There Showmanship During Elections?

Questioning the government, Sibal said, “I want to ask the Prime Minister this question, people have been waiting for 12 years, are these the ‘good days’ you promised? On February 28, the US attacked Iran. Now we are in May. No oil is coming through Hormuz. There is an oil shortage and we do not have enough stock. Everyone knows this will lead to a very difficult economic situation and an economic slowdown. If the Prime Minister and everyone else already knew this, then why was there so much showmanship during the elections? The Prime Minister did not speak about it then.”

He alleged that the government was aware of the possible economic fallout but did not speak about it during the elections. “Why was there so much showmanship during the polls if the leadership already knew the situation would worsen?” he asked.

The former Union minister also reacted to the government’s recent calls for austerity measures after the elections. He said if officials were now reducing the number of vehicles being used, it suggested those arrangements may not have been necessary earlier. However, he stressed that the Prime Minister’s security should remain fully intact.

What Did Kapil Say On Dattatreya Hosabale’s Remark?

Commenting on remarks made by Dattatreya Hosabale regarding talks with Pakistan, Sibal said similar statements from opposition leaders are often branded “anti-national” or “pro-Pakistan”.

"They want India to continue talks with Pakistan. That’s a good thing. But if I had said this, I would have been branded anti-national and pro-Pakistan. If someone else had said it, they would have been told to go to Pakistan. But when Mr Hosabale says it, then it is considered right. After all, the government functions according to his signals, doesn’t it? He holds the number two position in the RSS. Now even we can say that talks should continue, it seems we have also been given that freedom.”