Another hike in petrol and diesel prices, the fourth in two weeks, has sparked public outrage. People are demanding higher salaries and taxi fares to cope with rising inflation, urging the government to provide relief for middle-class workers.
With yet another hike in the prices of petrol and diesel on Monday, the general public across the country expressed extreme displeasure and shared the issues surrounding them due to inflation. They urged the central government to increase the current salary of the employees and the fare of taxis to provide relief to the middle-class workers.
Notably, the price hike on fuel today marks the fourth increase in less than two weeks amid continued volatility in global crude markets and ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Public Outcry Across Cities
Voices from Delhi
Sunil Kumar, a resident of Delhi, expressed his disappointment, saying that the common man is affected more than anyone else, flagging the minimal salaries being paid to the people, which are not enough to manage the growing inflation. "The petrol prices should be reduced to some extent. It should be less for the common people. The general public is spending its money, no one else. Our salaries are not increasing but the petrol prices have increased. With the hike in fuel prices, rates of everything like vegetables, will also increase. Public will face difficulties," he said.
Anil Kumar, another local, said, "The taxi fare is not increasing, but the price of petrol keeps on increasing. The government should either increase the taxi fare or reduce the taxes so the common man isn't burdened."
Disappointment in Bengaluru
In Bengaluru, Abdullah, a local, expressed his disappointment, "What can we do if the government is doing this. It does affect us a lot, but what can we do?"
Ram Syed Sardar, another local, furiously questioned the "good days" being promised by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). "There is a lot of inflation, and it is affecting us really badly. The situation is very difficult; if the government reduces the price of petrol and diesel, it will help a lot. They (centre) said that good days will come. Those 'good days' have arrived. Just poison everyone and live happily," he slammed the centre.
Vijay, a taxi driver, noted that the fare of taxis is not increasing, which has made it extremely difficult for the taxi drivers to manage their livelihood amid the growing fuel prices. "The prices are increasing every passing day. We taxi drivers don't know how to manage. Every day, the petrol prices increase, and we don't know what fare we should charge the customers. If tourists stop using vehicles, it will affect us a lot," he said. "This is happening because of the war; India is still in a better position than other countries," he added.
Nasir, a Bengaluru resident, also echoed a similar sentiment, underlining that the government should look into the actual concerns of the general public instead of "taking trips." "This is the first time that Rs 9 has been increased within a week. I appeal to the government to take necessary actions and make a proper decision to overcome this. I know, it's a crisis. It is happening globally, not just in India. But the other countries have been coping very well; they have managed very well. They care about people, but our government only cares about the trips they are taking instead of actually looking into the issues of middle-class people," he said in a veiled attack at PM Modi.
Concerns from Assam and Ahmedabad
Arnav Sharma from Assam flagged that even public transportation will be expensive due to the hike in diesel prices. "The price hike is a major hit for the common people, but still, we have to go to work. The government needs to do something about it. The prices have increased for the fourth time in the last 10 days. With the hike in diesel prices, the price of public transportation will also see a rise," he said.
Another local said, "Everyone is facing problems. If it reduces, it will be beneficial to all. Inflation is increasing, and so should employment."
Locals from Ahmedabad also shared disappointment. Sultan Singh, a resident, urged the government to reduce the fuel prices. He stressed that the common man cannot function in such a situation. "What can we do? Inflation is rising drastically. The hike in petrol and diesel prices makes things difficult, but we cannot function without it. I just want to say that the government should think a little about the common man and try to bring the prices of petrol and diesel down to a reasonable limit," he said.
An individual said that the main reason behind the hike is the ongoing war situation in West Asia. He said that the families from the lower-income groups, like our cab drivers, will be mostly affected and urged the government to resolve the issue. "No one can do anything about the hike in petrol and diesel prices right now. The ongoing war is the main reason behind this. However, this increase will cause a lot of difficulties for poor families, especially those from lower-income groups like our cab drivers who live in poverty. They will face a tough time. Their savings will decrease, and overall inflation will keep rising. The government needs to think about this issue and take some necessary action," he said.
Fuel Prices in Major Metros
Meanwhile, petrol prices in Delhi crossed the Rs 100-mark, rising by Rs 2.61 to Rs 102.12 per litre, while diesel prices increased by Rs 2.71 to Rs 95.20 per litre.
Similar hikes were witnessed across major metropolitan cities, including Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, adding to the burden on consumers and transport operators.
In Kolkata, petrol prices increased by Rs 2.87 to Rs 113.51 per litre, while diesel rose by Rs 2.80 to Rs 99.82 per litre.
In Mumbai, petrol became costlier by Rs 2.72 and is now priced at Rs 111.21 per litre, whereas diesel climbed by Rs 2.81 to Rs 97.83 per litre.
In Chennai, petrol prices rose by Rs 2.46 to Rs 107.77 per litre, and diesel increased by Rs 2.57 to Rs 99.55 per litre.
Cascading Economic Impact
The continued hikes in petrol, diesel and CNG prices are likely to increase logistics and transportation costs further, potentially triggering a cascading effect on retail inflation and impacting household budgets as well as commercial transport sectors across the country. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)