Puducherry, April 6 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday ridiculed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his claims of rising petrol and diesel prices, stating that this was indeed the case in neighboring Pakistan.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has defied international trends of fuel shortages, work-from-home orders, and "skyrocketing prices," and the government has ensured the availability of petroleum products amidst the West Asia conflict, he said.
Addressing a rally here ahead of the April 9 Assembly elections, the senior BJP leader promised to make all efforts to ensure a developed Puducherry if the NDA receives a two-thirds majority.
The ruling AINRC-BJP combine is seeking a consecutive term in the upcoming polls.
Shah said that Rahul Gandhi, at a recent public meeting in this union territory, had said that "due to the Gulf war, petrol prices have gone up in India."
"He is right. Petrol costs Rs 458, while diesel has gone up to Rs 520. But Rahul... that has happened not in India, but Pakistan," Shah said.
On the contrary, prices have been stable in the country and there is no shortage of petroleum products.
Recently, after an unprecedented surge in fuel prices triggered severe backlash, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced slashing the petrol price.
Taking a dig at the opposition INDIA bloc, he said the CPI, CPI (M) have already left the alliance in the UT, while the DMK and Congress were fighting each other in five seats in the polls. The NDA, on the other hand, was united, he said.