New Delhi: The Congress party launched a sharp critique of the Modi government on Monday, seizing on fresh economic data that shows wholesale inflation persisting near double digits for the fourth consecutive month. The political jab came just hours after official figures revealed a troubling picture for household budgets across the country.

Key facts

  • WPI inflation rose to 9.92% in August from 9.78% in July
  • Food inflation climbed to 7.05% from 6.65%
  • Manufactured items hit a series high of 8.37% inflation
  • Rural wages fell 9% in nominal terms since April

The Numbers Behind the Pain

Monday's data release from the government showed wholesale price-based inflation ticking up again in August, reaching 9.92%. That marks nearly half a year of sustained price pressures that have pushed costs higher for everything from vegetables to manufactured goods.

The food index alone saw inflation jump to 7.05% last month, up from 6.65% in July. Perhaps most worrying for economic planners: inflation for manufactured items reached 8.37% - the highest in the current data series.

Political Reaction

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh didn't wait long to respond. In a post on X, he framed the data as evidence of growing hardship for ordinary Indians.

"Official data just released shows that for four consecutive months now the WPI has been hovering around 10%. Prices of all essential commodities have continued their upward rise causing huge hardships to crores of families."

His words carried the weight of someone watching a crisis unfold in slow motion - four months of numbers telling the same painful story.

The Human Cost

Ramesh pointed to CMIE data showing inflation-adjusted wages have fallen 5.7% since April. For rural India, the situation appears particularly dire, with a massive 9% decline in wages - even without adjusting for inflation.

This combination of rising prices and falling incomes creates what economists call a "scissors effect" - where household budgets get squeezed from both directions. The Congress leader's phrasing - "to compound the misery" - captured that dual pressure perfectly.

The WPI's upward trajectory this fiscal year has been driven by global factors including the West Asia war and disruption to crude oil imports through the Strait of Hormuz. But for families buying groceries and paying bills, the origins matter less than the reality: everything costs more.