New Delhi, Feb 21 (TIWN) Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Sunday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to blame previous governments for rising prices but find a "solution" as she termed the fuel price hike a "brazen act of profiteering" and "extortion" to cover up economic mismanagement.

"What is equally distressing is that despite being in power for almost seven years now, your government continues to blame previous regimes for its own economic mismanagement. To set the record straight, domestic crude oil production has fallen to an 18-year low in the year 2020.  "I hope you will agree that it is time for your Government to focus on solutions instead of looking for excuses. India deserves better," she said.  Stressing that the crude oil price is nearly half of what it was during the UPA government's tenure, she said: "Therefore, your Government's act of raising prices (continuously for 12 days till February 20) is little less than a brazen act of  profiteering."  Gandhi said that she is writing this letter to convey every citizen's anguish and deep distress regarding the spiralling fuel and gas prices as India is witnessing systematic erosion of jobs, wages and household income.  "The middle class and those at the margins of our society are struggling. These challenges have been compounded by runaway inflation and an unprecedented rise in price of almost all household items and essential commodities," she said.