Senior CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the Centre for raising fuel prices, calling it a betrayal of the people facing financial distress due to inflation. He accused the government of burdening citizens instead of providing relief, stating that the Rs 3 per litre increase in petrol and diesel prices would worsen hardships for workers, farmers, and middle-class households. Vijayan highlighted that despite lower global oil prices, the government justified the hike by citing oil companies’ losses, reflecting policies favoring corporate interests over ordinary citizens.
The former Kerala Chief Minister linked the fuel price hike to rising cooking gas prices and LPG shortages, blaming the Centre’s flawed policies for making life challenging for many households. He criticized the government for escalating people’s misery through continuous price hikes instead of alleviating inflation-related struggles. Vijayan warned that the increased fuel prices would lead to higher transportation costs and essential commodity prices, further straining household budgets nationwide.
Vijayan emphasized the government’s role in supporting citizens during economic difficulties and urged immediate action to revoke the “unjust decision” that he viewed as exploiting the public to safeguard corporate interests.
