Congress MP and general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh. File.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
The Congress on Monday (September 21, 2026) attacked the Modi government over “skyrocketing prices” of food items with a reference to the 1977 hit Bollywood number “Kya hua tera vada”, and questioned his silence on inflation.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared a media report which claimed that the surge in the prices of various food items, along with pulses and cooking oil, has completely disrupted household budgets.
In his post in Hindi, Mr. Ramesh said, “The skyrocketing prices of food items in the country have broken the back of the middle and poor classes.” The prices of daily-use essential commodities are touching the skies, making life unbearable for the common person, he claimed.
“In the past month, spice prices have surged by a massive 10% to 25%. Green cardamom has risen from ₹4,000 to ₹4,400/kg, black cardamom from ₹2,400 to ₹2,800/kg, and cumin has jumped from ₹360 to ₹400/kg. Mace prices have shot up directly from ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 per kg.
“Arhar dal has increased from ₹100 to ₹130/kg, chana dal from ₹70 to ₹100 /kg, and urad from ₹120 to ₹140/kg. Mustard oil has reached ₹210/litre from ₹190, and Safola oil has climbed to ₹280/litre from ₹240,” Mr. Ramesh said.
From June to September, the all-India average retail price of onions rose from ₹29.50/kg to ₹53.78/kg — a staggering 82.3% increase in just three and a half months, he said.
Due to rising inflation, pulses and essential food items are becoming out of reach in the homes of the poor, Mr. Ramesh said.
“But the Prime Minister remains silent on inflation. The country is asking, ‘Where have the ‘achche din‘ gone, Prime Minister ji?’ Are they only left in sermons?” the Congress leader said.
The people go hungry, the government stays silent, he said and asked whether this is the new India.
“Kya hua tera vada? Woh kasam, woh irada?” Mr. Ramesh said, making a reference to the lyrics of the popular hit Bollywood song from the 1977 movie “Hum Kisise Kum Nahin“.
The Modi government should immediately take strict measures against this uncontrolled inflation and provide relief to the common people, the Congress general secretary said.
The Congress has been flagging the issue of rising prices and accusing the government of following “anti-people” policies.
The government, however, has dismissed the claims and pointed to the GDP numbers.
Published – September 21, 2026 10:33 am IST
