Only BJP leaders' income increased, not that of common people: Kapil Sibal

Launching an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday said the income of only the leaders of the ruling party increased and not that of the common people.

Speaking to ANI, Sibal said, "The BJP and its minister must be living in a La La Land, not the real world. That is why they are saying things like this. The minister (Mahendra Singh Sisodia) is saying that a person who was earning Rs 6,000 a month is now earning Rs 25,000. It is just a cruel joke. It is only BJP and its leaders' income that has increased and not of the public."

He further expressed his hope that people would do away with the ruling-BJP government at the Centre and the process would start by defeating the party in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Slamming the central government over the rising fuel prices and inflation, Sibal said, "Fuel and LPG prices have increased. They (Centre) do not think about the poor and only do politics of religion. I hope people will throw out this government and the start will be defeating them (BJP) in the Uttar Pradesh 2022 polls."

The Congress veteran's reaction came after Madhya Pradesh Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Mahendra Singh Sisodia on Sunday had claimed that people should not complain about the rising prices as the income of all sections of the society has also been rising.

Addressing media in Indore, the BJP leader had said, "Has not the income of the common man increased? Government cannot give everything for free. People should understand that if their income is rising, then they will have to accept inflation also. Ten years ago, the person who was earning Rs 6,000 and is making Rs 50,000 today, and yet people want petrol and diesel at old rates - this is not possible at all."

The petroleum companies have hiked the price of commercial Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders by Rs 266 from today onwards.

Meanwhile, petrol and diesel prices were hiked for the sixth consecutive day across the country on Monday.

In the national capital, with a hike of 35 paise a litre, the price of petrol rose to Rs 109.69 per litre while the price of diesel was increased by the same amount to cost Rs 98.42.

( With inputs from ANI )