New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday said the "ever-increasing" unemployment and inflation due to "wrong policies" of the Modi government have made life extremely difficult for lower and middle class families, and asserted that the country now needs a budget that provides relief from rising prices.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared a media report on X which claimed that "back-breaking inflation in the last 10 years has emptied the pockets of the common people".

"The Modani government has only taken care of its rich friends in the last ten years. Ever-increasing unemployment and inflation due to wrong policies of the government have made life extremely difficult for lower and middle class families," Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.

The prices of milk, flour, pulses, petrol, diesel and vegetables are "skyrocketing", he said.

"The burden of EMIs and daily needs is increasing on every household. The country now needs a budget that provides relief from inflation!" he said.

Will the government take any concrete steps after listening to the problems of the people, Ramesh asked.

The Congress on Wednesday claimed that it is becoming clear that the "disappointing" Quarter 2 GDP growth numbers are not a blip but a clear slowdown in the economy and the post-pandemic bump is not broad-based enough to power long-term growth.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday also hit out at the Modi government over its economic policies and asserted that real development is when everyone progresses, there is a fair environment for business, a fair tax system and the income of workers increases.

Gandhi on Sunday announced the launch of a 'White T-shirt Movement', championing the rights of the masses. He had accused the Narendra Modi government of turning its back on the poor. The Congress leader had announced the launch in a post on X and urged people to be a part of it.

The Congress has been attacking the government over its handling of the economy, claiming the issues of rising prices, decreasing private investments and stagnating wages are hitting the common people hard. PTI ASK ASK KVK KVK

Unemployment and inflation demand a budget delivering relief and measures to restore household incomes and curb price rises. The statement criticises economic policy for causing sustained unemployment and inflation that have increased household burdens-rising costs of staples and fuel, higher EMIs-and calls for a budget that provides tangible relief, addresses weak GDP growth, declining private investment and stagnant wages, and reorients fiscal priorities to restore worker incomes and ease inflationary pressures.