Upset, most people don't approve of fuel price hike

Bombay News.Net
Thursday 5th June, 2008 (IANS)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may have explained at some length why the fuel prices needed to be hiked, but most people in the Indian capital are not buying his logic.

For the mass of poor and the middle class, it is immaterial why the government increased the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. They argue that it will seriously affect the way they lead their lives, based as it is on a regular but limited monthly income that is not keeping pace with inflation.

Prachi Singh, a 27-year-old marketing executive, said that with escalating prices of food and fuel, life for a common man was becoming increasingly stifling.

'While I understand the prime minister's point about the global prices affecting us, it doesn't make much sense to me that this hike is necessary to secure the future generations. How does one expect me to think long term if I feel insecure today?' Singh asked.

'A 50-rupee hike on a LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder is shocking,' added Babuddin, an auto rickshaw driver. 'I barely earn Rs.250 a day. I have two children and a wife who is mostly unwell. How can I cope? Thank god, my auto runs on CNG, not diesel or petrol.'

After weeks of dilly-dallying, the government pushed up the prices of petrol by Rs.5 a litre, of diesel by Rs.3 a litre and of LPG cylinders by Rs.50. Kerosene, the poorest's cooking fuel, was not touched.

As the opposition drew out their claws after the announcement, Manmohan Singh said in a 20-minute televised address: "It must be appreciated that what has been done is the bare minimum".

The man on the street is not impressed.

Subhas Sharma, a teacher living in east Delhi, told IANS that the decision would surely throw more and more people out of the safety net.

"The price of kerosene might have not increased but with the rise in petrol and diesel prices, I am anticipating another rise in vegetable and food prices. This hike can't be seen as a stand-alone rise.

"Life is becoming increasingly difficult for the middle class,' he said. 'If the present situation is so tough, what will the future be?"

Worse, notwithstanding the 24-hour TV channels, many people were caught unawares about the fuel hike - until they woke up Thursday morning and saw the screaming headlines.

"I had no idea. I was travelling for two days. When I went to refuel my car, I got a rude shock when I realised that the price of petrol has been increased," said Ashok Tiwari, a businessman.

For a handful, the move is quite justified.

"I think the price hike is quite fair. As the prime minister said, it is the result of the global trend. India is bound to be affected," said Sanchari Das, an environmentalist.

She argued that this hike would give rise to a positive trend.

"People will now think twice before taking out their vehicles which they often do to drive even a walking distance. It will encourage people to use the public transport and reduce the pollution load to a certain extent.

"And I completely agree when the prime minister says that it's each one's responsibility to conserve energy. It's high time everyone, especially the youth, realised that," she said.

Vegetable vendor Shantha, who plies a cart in the south Delhi area Saket, thought differently.

'We don't understand these things,' she said. 'The educated people may understand better what the government does. The fact is prices of all goods and commodities transported in diesel run vehicles will now go up. How can we live?'

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