RAEBARELI, MAY 20: Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s international diplomatic engagements, stating that the federal administration is trivializing serious economic concerns while the country faces a major inflationary threat.
Addressing a public gathering at the Bahujan Swabhiman Sabha in his parliamentary constituency, Gandhi referenced a viral social media video featuring the Prime Minister presenting a packet of corporate confectionery to Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. The Congress MP stated that the lighthearted interaction occurred against a backdrop of deep financial distress affecting India’s working class.
“An economic storm is raging in the country while the PM is busy handing out toffee in Italy,” Gandhi stated during his address.
The opposition leader argued that the central government’s recent appeals for public austerity contrast sharply with the Prime Minister’s extensive travel schedule. He noted that the advisory urging common citizens to reduce their consumption of fuel and precious metals indicates that national reserves are under significant pressure.
“In the coming months, inflation will rise sharply,” Gandhi warned the gathering. “Prices of petrol, diesel, gas, food grains, everything will increase.”
The Congress leader maintained that current policy directions are systematically harming small traders, laborers, and agricultural communities who cannot absorb sudden market spikes. He affirmed that the opposition would continue to demand transparency regarding national reserves and economic management, stating that public governance requires a focus on domestic stability rather than superficial international optics.
