The National Democratic Alliance at the Centre must go for 100 reasons, but for the sheer price rise alone the central government should be ousted, former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said on Monday.
Speaking at a Congress party meeting in Mandrem, Chidambaram also said that even a child would be able to explain the linkage between the increase in fuel prices and a steep rise in the prices of essential goods and commodities.
"If you pay Rs 1,000 for fuel alone, what can you buy, eat, cook. This government must go for 100 reasons, but on price rise alone this government should go," Chidambaram said.
Chidambaram also said that the central government does not care about the rising prices of diesel and petrol because Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a "huge appetite for money".
"Why are prices rising? Prices are rising because petrol prices are rising every day, diesel prices are rising every day. Today is the seventh consecutive day that prices have increased. Why, because Mr Modi has a huge appetite for money. The central government earns Rs 3.50 lakh crore from petrol, diesel taxes," Chidambaram said.
"They are running on your sweat and blood and your miseries. The central government is running only because you are squeezed and you are paying taxes. Even a child will know if petrol and diesel prices increase, prices of everything will increase. Transportation cost increases, cost of producing coal increases. every cost will increase," Chidambaram also said.