Brijmohan Agrawal, a BJP MLA from Chhattisgarh, sparked a debate after he said, “Stop eating if inflation is a national calamity.” The BJP MLA and former Home Minister of Chhattisgarh also said that people should stop using petrol if they consider inflation a national calamity. Agrawal statement comes at a time when the Centre is slammed by opposition and masses due to significant rise in the price of fuel prices.

Contents hide
1. Background
2. Details
3. Watch the video here
4. Opposition Condemns BJP MLA’s Insensitive Remark
5. Netizens outraged on MLA Agrawal’s Remark
6. Remark was made satirically: Brijmohan Agrawal clears after receiving backlash
7. Opposition critical of Centre for fuel price surge

Background

Inflation in the country is at a spike, causing a significant increase in the price of fuel, commodities & cooking oils. WPI inflation or Wholesale Price Index inflation in April rose to 10.49% the most it has been in 11 years. The number was at 7.39% in March. This increase has led to 4-year highs of power and fuel prices. Currently petrol price at major states have already touched the Rs. 100 mark.

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Details

On Friday, June 4, BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal sparked controversy amid the masses and received backlash from opposition parties. The MLA said that if one finds the increase in inflation rates a natural calamity, they should quit food and petrol. The controversial statement did not end there and the BJP MLA remarked that those who had voted for Congress in the past will do the same which will help bring the inflation down.

“If the inflation is a national calamity, then I think those who are calling it so should stop eating and drinking. They should quit food and stop using petrol,”

-MLA Agrawal said.

“I think if Congressmen and those who have voted for Congress will do so, the inflation would automatically come down,”

-he added.

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Watch the video here

Opposition Condemns BJP MLA’s Insensitive Remark

After the remark was made, opposition party Congress condemned MLA Agrawal’s remark. Indian National Congress’s digital communications coordinator Gaurav Pandhi took to Twitter and said-

“BJP’s message to the people of India after Modi Failed: IF YOU HAVE PROBLEM WITH RISING PRICES, STOP EATING FOOD. How about people stop supporting the ARROGANT & SHAMELESS BJP? It would be an easier option than starving to death.”

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Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, a Congress leader from Chhattisgarh spoke to Press Trust of India and was quoted by the news agency saying-

“Making such a vague statement is very shameful. They will later say that those who oppose the Centre should quit India.”

Congress leader Trivedi also said how the ruling party can’t realize a common man’s plight.

Netizens outraged on MLA Agrawal’s Remark

Remark was made satirically: Brijmohan Agrawal clears after receiving backlash

After receiving backlash from the opposition and the masses, the Chhattisgarh MLA offered a clarification to PTI. During his clarification, Agrawal said how he made the remark satirically.

According to News18 Mr. Agrawal said-

“While interacting with reporters, I satirically made a statement that if Congressmen stop eating and using petrol, inflation would decline as the state Congress chief had termed inflation as a national calamity.”

He further cleared that it was never his intention to tell anyone to stop consuming food and using petrol.

Opposition critical of Centre for fuel price surge

On June, both the opposition parties of BJP – Congress and Aam Aadmi Party – staged protests in Maharashtra due to the fuel price surge issue. Aam Aadmi Party members played cricket in Thane as a sarcastic protest to petrol price hitting a century. Meanwhile, Mumbai Congress leader Bhai Jagtap organized a protest in Borivali East.