NEW DELHI: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and the RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accepting cricketer Virat Kohli’s fitness challenge and urged him to instead tackle the high fuel prices, joblessness and widespread rural distress.
Rahul threatened to launch an agitation and force the PM to bring down fuel prices.
“Dear PM, Glad to see you accept the @imVkohli fitness challenge. Here’s one from me: Reduce Fuel prices or the Congress will do a nationwide agitation and force you to do so. I look forward to your
response,” Rahul tweeted.
Party sources said that the various state units and the party’s youth wings had already launched protests against high petrol prices and the same would be intensified in the days to come as the government appeared to be reluctant to bring down the prices.
The Delhi Congress took out a bicycle rally on Wednesday and the Youth Congress has also held a protest on the issue. The sources said these agitations would help the party connect with the common people who are miffed with the ruling BJP.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav joined Rahul over the issue, saying he was all for fitness but the PM needed to focus on the burning problems as well.
“While we have nothing against accepting fitness challenge from @imVkohli. I urge you to accept the challenge to provide jobs to young, relief to farmers, promise of no violence against dalits & minorities. Would you accept my challenge @narendramodi Sir,” Tejashwi tweeted.
Diesel prices too have reached unprecedented levels and set new records across the country. In Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, it was sold at Rs 68.53, Rs 71.08, Rs 72.96 and Rs 72.35 per litre respectively.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav used the opportunity to attack the government over its promises of creating two crore jobs every year and his claim of inclusive development, which he calls "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas".
"While we have nothing against accepting fitness challenge from @imVkohli, I urge you to accept the challenge to provide jobs to young, relief to farmers, promise of no violence against dalits & minorities. Would you accept my challenge @narendramodi Sir?," Tejashwi tweeted.
Congress communications in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “Please accept the fitness challenge to restore the economic fitness of common man by reducing the runaway prices of petrol/diesel as you fleeced Rs 10 lakh crore in 4 years by raising exise 11 times. Restore the job fitness of young by giving 2 crore jobs as promised.”
Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev took potshots at the PM, saying that first unemployed youth were told to sell pakoras, and now people might as well get fit since steep fuel prices will make using automobiles unaffordable and force people to walk for their daily commute.