LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday hit out at the BJP over the sharp rise in gold prices, alleging that the surge was not due to public demand but because of the ruling party leaders converting their 'liquid black money into solid gold'.
In a post on X, Yadav said gold prices breaking all records and touching Rs 1.20 lakh per 'tola' (10 grams) under the BJP rule was a reflection of corruption and hoarding.
"The reality is that now a poor person cannot even gift a small piece of gold at weddings as a blessing. Forget gold, even silver has gone out of the reach of the poor due to the hoarding of precious metals by BJP leaders," he alleged.
He said the government's defence would be that gold prices are determined by international markets and asked why luxury metals continue to see rising demand despite the price surge.
"If this is true, then the government should clarify under which economic rule or principle this is happening," he said.
He targeted the government, saying, "Does nobody in the BJP government have a drone, telescope or bulldozer to go after the gold hoarders? Perhaps what people are seeing as a 'double-engine of iron' has in fact turned into gold from the inside."