Chandigarh

Kumari Selja on Tuesday said the government should focus on providing relief to citizens rather than repeatedly asking them to make sacrifices at a time when households are already grappling with inflation, unemployment, and mounting economic pressure.

In a statement issued from Chandigarh, the senior Indian National Congress leader claimed that repeated calls for austerity reflect the Centre’s inability to effectively address the country’s economic challenges.

Selja said people are being repeatedly advised to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, cut household expenses, and limit spending on essential needs, which, according to her, shows that the financial burden on ordinary citizens is steadily increasing.

Her remarks came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal for restraint amid the continuing crisis in West Asia. Speaking at a rally in Hyderabad on Sunday, Modi had urged citizens to use fuel judiciously, postpone gold purchases, defer foreign travel, and adopt other measures aimed at conserving foreign exchange and protecting the economy from external shocks.

Selja said it is the government’s duty to provide tangible relief, create economic stability, and generate employment opportunities instead of expecting citizens to bear the burden of difficult economic conditions. She added that the Congress would continue to strongly raise issues affecting common people.

The Congress leader also criticised the Centre over the alleged leak of the NEET-UG examination paper earlier this month.

The National Testing Agency on Tuesday cancelled the NEET (UG) 2026 examination held on May 3 following allegations of a paper leak, while the Central Bureau of Investigation has been asked to conduct a detailed inquiry into the reported irregularities.

Selja said reports of the alleged leak amount to a direct assault on the hard work, aspirations, and future of millions of students across the country. She argued that when examinations become vulnerable to corruption and leaks instead of being conducted with transparency and fairness, students from poor and middle-class families suffer the most, as many spend years preparing to fulfil their academic and professional ambitions.

The former Union minister said repeated incidents of examination leaks have raised serious questions about accountability and governance under the BJP-led administration. She described the erosion of trust among more than 22 lakh students and their families as deeply worrying and stressed that ensuring a safe, transparent, and merit-based examination system remains the government’s responsibility.

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She added that the Congress would continue to raise issues concerning the rights, opportunities, and future of the country’s youth.