People struggling with rising prices, govt sleeping like 'Kumbhkaran': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the people are struggling with rising prices and are forced to compromise on small things of daily needs while the government is sleeping like 'Kumbhakaran'.
Gandhi shared a video on his social media handles on his recent visit to a vegetable market in Giri Nagar here and interaction with housewives who narrated their ordeal due to rising prices of food items.
"A few days ago, I went to a local vegetable market and while shopping with customers, I talked to the vendors to know how the budget of the common people is deteriorating and how inflation has troubled everyone," Gandhi said in his post accompanying the video.
"People are struggling with rising prices and are forced to compromise on small things of daily needs," the former Congress chief said in his post in Hindi.
"We discussed the prices of garlic, peas, mushrooms and other vegetables, and heard the real experiences of the people. How garlic at Rs 400 per kg and peas at Rs 120 per kg have shaken everyone's budget," he said.
What will people eat and what will they save, he wondered.
"While talking over tea, we closely understood the problems of the lives of housewives - how the income remained stagnant, inflation kept increasing uncontrollably. How saving has become impossible and how it has become difficult to arrange even a rickshaw fare of Rs 10 due to just meeting the food expenses," Gandhi said.
He urged people to share their experiences with him if they are also feeling the effect of inflation.
"Tell us how you are struggling with this problem - you know the condition of the market, you too share your personal experiences with us," he said.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "'Garlic was once Rs 40, today it is Rs 400!' Rising inflation has spoiled the budget of the common person's kitchen - the government is sleeping like Kumbhakaran!"
In the over five-minute video, Gandhi is seen accompanying some housewives as they buy vegetables and haggle with vendors.
The housewives tell Gandhi that they have to curtail their eating habits as they are unable to afford the vegetables they used to earlier.
They also tell him that while wages have remained stagnant, prices have risen sharply.
The Congress on Monday took a swipe at the Modi government over "rising" prices of food items, saying the bullet train announced by it has not arrived but the inflation, which is spiralling upwards faster than the speed of a bullet train, has broken the back of the common person.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had said the people want answers not more "jumlabaazi (rhetoric)".
He had shared a media report on X which claimed that the rates of daily essential goods are increasing day by day and in the last one year, the prices of flour, oil, spices and dry fruits have increased by one and a half to two times.
"The bullet train announced by the Modi government has not arrived, but the inflation, which is spiralling upwards faster than the speed of a bullet train, has broken the back of the common person," Ramesh had said in his post in Hindi on X.
The Congress has been attacking the government over its handling of the economy and raising concerns over increasing unemployment and price rise.
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Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
