New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led government over the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices, accusing the Centre of "cheating"
citizens after the elections and presiding over a worsening economic situation.
Addressing a press conference here, TMC Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Sagarika Ghose alleged that the government concealed the severity of the energy and economic situation during the election campaign and imposed the burden on ordinary citizens only after the polls were over.
"After looting the votes, you are now looting the purse of the ordinary citizen," Ghose said, describing the BJP-led government as a "dhokhebaaz (betrayer) government".
She said cooking gas prices had already increased and the hike in petrol and diesel prices would further hurt common people and livelihoods. She also said the government failed to adequately prepare for fuel shortages and continued focusing on "event management" instead of addressing the crisis.
"The bubble of Modi-nomics has burst and the Modi government has cheated the people," she said.
Ghose also raised concerns over India's economic indicators, claiming that the rupee had emerged as one of the worst-performing currencies among major economies in 2025 and 2026. She alleged that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were "leaving India in droves" and claimed that net FII outflows in the current calendar year had reached USD 21 billion.
She referred to the Economic Survey, saying it had flagged concerns over the falling value of the rupee and capital outflows. "India has been in a negative balance of payments situation for the last two years. This is the all-round failure of Modinomics," she said.
The TMC leader also targeted the Centre over the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination amid allegations of paper leaks. She claimed there had been "70 to 90 major exam leaks since 2014" and questioned the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Ghose said she had written to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in 2024 seeking details about the NTA, including its members, annual reports and institutional structure.
"What is this National Testing Agency which is conducting these examinations and why are examination papers repeatedly leaking?" she asked, alleging a lack of transparency in the body established in 2017.
Turning to the issue of post-poll violence in West Bengal, Ghose described the incidents as "shocking" and alleged that murders, arson and displacement had taken place after the assembly elections.
She said TMC chairperson and former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had personally approached the Calcutta High Court seeking intervention, and the court directed the West Bengal Police to ensure that displaced persons were escorted back to their villages.
Ghose further announced that the TMC had constituted three fact-finding teams comprising MPs and other party leaders to investigate alleged irregularities in the Bengal elections. The teams, she said, would visit the state from May 16 for five days.
"These teams are going to gather all the facts on the manner in which the elections were manipulated, the manner in which counting was manipulated and the way the BJP stole the 2026 elections in Bengal," she alleged.
She added that the opposition INDIA bloc was united against what she termed "vote loot" by the BJP using the Election Commission, central forces and government machinery, adding that the alliance would organise protests and agitations in Delhi in the coming days over the issue. PTI AO KSS
KSS
