In the wake of a sharp rise in prices of petrol and diesel in the country, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government on Wednesday, saying that “inflation is at its peak during Diwali”.

Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi wrote in Hindi, which loosely translated to English reads, “It’s Diwali. Inflation is at its peak. It’s not a joke. I wish the Modi government had a sensitive heart for the public.”

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have accused the government of extortion in the name of taxes on petrol and diesel.

Earlier on Monday, the Congress leader had hit out at the Centre and asked the citizens to be beware of “pickpockets”.

“Beware of pickpockets,” he said in a tweet in Hindi, using the hashtag “#TaxExtortion”.

The former Congress chief cited a news report along with his tweet that said the petrol prices in some states have crossed Rs 120 a litre and that the Centre collected Rs 2.3 lakh crore in 2018-19 and Rs 2.58 lakh crore in 2017-18 by way of fuel taxes.

Seems inflation is Modi govt’s Diwali gift to people: Rajasthan CM

On Tuesday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot slammed the Centre, saying that the Modi government has given people inflation as a Diwali gift.

He also said that ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence, will be remembered for a record increase in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG.

“Looking at the way the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG, edible oil and vegetables are increasing, it seems that the Modi government has given a Diwali gift of inflation to the people,” Gehlot said in a tweet.

The chief minister said that just three days before Diwali, the Modi government has made arrangements to make sweets expensive by increasing the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 266.