NEW DELHI (Economy India): The Congress on Monday criticised the Narendra Modi government over what it described as a sharp rise in the prices of essential food items, using the popular 1977 Bollywood song “Kya Hua Tera Vada” to question the government’s response to inflation.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh shared a media report highlighting increases in the prices of several food items, pulses and cooking oils and said the rising costs were putting pressure on household budgets.
Jairam Ramesh Raises Food Price Concerns
In a Hindi post, Ramesh said the rise in food prices had placed a heavy burden on middle-class and poorer households.
He claimed that prices of several commonly used spices had increased by between 10 per cent and 25 per cent over the past month. He also cited higher prices for pulses, edible oils and onions.
According to figures cited by Ramesh, arhar dal had increased from Rs 100 to Rs 130 per kg, chana dal from Rs 70 to Rs 100 per kg, and urad from Rs 120 to Rs 140 per kg.
Congress Cites Rise in Edible Oil and Onion Prices
Ramesh also highlighted increases in cooking oil prices, saying mustard oil had risen from Rs 190 to Rs 210 per litre and Safola oil from Rs 240 to Rs 280 per litre.
Onions were another key part of his argument. Ramesh said the all-India average retail price of onions had risen from Rs 29.50 per kg in June to Rs 53.78 per kg in September, an increase of about 82 per cent over the period. These figures were presented by Ramesh as part of the Congress’s criticism of the government’s handling of food prices.
‘Kya Hua Tera Vada’: Congress Uses Bollywood Reference
Taking a political and cultural reference from the 1977 film Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, Ramesh invoked the song “Kya Hua Tera Vada” while questioning the Prime Minister’s response to inflation.
The Congress leader also questioned where the promised “achche din” had gone and called for immediate measures to provide relief from rising prices.
Food Inflation Remains a Key Economic Issue
The Congress’s remarks come amid continuing attention to food prices and inflation. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released India’s August 2026 Consumer Price Index data on September 14, providing the latest official inflation data available before the Congress’s September 21 statement.
The political debate therefore centres on how changes in individual food and essential commodity prices are affecting households, alongside the broader inflation indicators tracked by the government.
Government Position Differs from Congress Claims
The Congress has repeatedly raised the issue of food prices and accused the government of failing to adequately address inflation. The government has rejected such criticism and has pointed to broader economic indicators, including GDP performance.
The latest exchange highlights how inflation and household food costs remain an important point of political debate, with the two sides presenting different interpretations of the economic situation.
(Economy India)
