It is an undeniable fact that any escalation in fuel prices will have cascading effect on the inflation. The decision to hike the price of petrol by Rs.5 per litre, diesel by Rs.3 and LPG by Rs.50 smacks of the UPA government’s lack of concern to the common man – when he is already feeling the heat of skyrocketing prices of all essential commodities. There were better alternatives to this harsh step – such as reducing the central customs duty on the fuel prices, imposing taxes on the windfall benefits reaped by private sector refineries, etc. The disunity among the opposition parties is also responsible for the UPA government’s recurring thoughtless actions. The move on cut motions in Lok Sabha organised by Left parties just two months ago to demand a rollback in the fuel prices was abandoned by some opportunist political leaders.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin
Kadapa (A.P.)