The fuel price hike has sparked strong reactions from the Opposition parties, with both the CPI(M) and the Congress, terming the Centre’s action a war against people. The CPI(M) State Secretariat has called for strong protests against the Central government’s decision to hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 each per litre. The BJP government at the Centre is trying to pass on to people the burden of its failure to manage the energy crisis, the statement issued by CPI(M) here said.

The decision to foist a fuel price hike on people amounts to a declaration of war against the people. If the Union government had acted with foresight and turned its attention to diversifying sources for oil imports, the country would not have found itself in such a crisis. This move, coming at a time when people are already suffering due to inflation and price rise, is going to make life even harder for ordinary people, CPI (M) said.

The CPI(M) said that when the price of crude oil fell sharply, the Centre was not prepared to pass on the benefits to people. Instead, the government used this opportunity to steeply hike the fuel tax. When crude oil prices have gone up now, it is the people who are paying the price, CPI(M) pointed out.

The Prime Minister’s call to the people to adopt austerity measures, after repeatedly claiming that the war had not affected the Indian economy, lays bare the hollowness of his claims. The country is also reeling from LPG price hikes and shortages. Commercial cylinder prices have been raised five times in five months and across the country, this has led to the shutdown of innumerable hotels and restaurants and the rise in food prices by 20-30%. Hostels, orphanages, and similar institutions are all in acute distress. The CPI(M) State Secretariat called on the people to resist the Centre’s move to burden them again.

Direct challenge

KPCC President Sunny Joseph, in a statement here said that the Centre’s decision to hike fuel prices immediately after the elections in various States, is a direct challenge to the people. While the Centre cites the West Asia conflict as the reason for the fuel price hike, this is a move to bailout oil companies. The former UPA government had provided relief to the people through subsidies whenever global crude oil prices went up. The BJP government has instead has chosen to pass on the entire burden to people. he said.

Mr. Joseph said that the impact of the fuel price hike on freight and transport costs would create significant financial burdens on consumer States like Kerala. Block Congress Committees will organise State-wide protests on Saturday (May 16), demanding the rollback of the fuel price hike.