CHENNAI: Condemning the Union government’s decision to increase petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 from midnight, Opposition parties on Friday warned that the hike would trigger a steep rise in the prices of essential commodities and impose an additional burden on households already struggling with rising living costs.
DMK president MK Stalin criticised the Union BJP government over the hike in petrol, diesel and CNG prices, accusing it of continuously burdening the common people.
In a statement, Stalin said the increase in commercial LPG cylinder prices had already triggered a rise in the prices of essential commodities across the country.
“In this situation, the newly announced hike in petrol, diesel and CNG prices will severely affect the livelihood of ordinary people,” he said.
Stalin alleged that repeated fuel price hikes by the Union government were placing additional financial strain on the public and contributing to inflationary pressure.
“How does the Union government plan to protect the people from these hardships?” he asked.
CPM State secretary P Shanmugam said the fuel price hike would create a chain reaction affecting people’s day-to-day lives and sharply increase the prices of essential goods.
In a statement, he said families would be pushed into severe hardship “like a boat caught in a storm” because of the increase in fuel prices.
VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan alleged that the BJP-led Union government had deliberately waited until the conclusion of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam before announcing the fuel price increase.
Condemning the Centre’s “anti-people approach”, he said the increase of Rs 3 per litre in petrol and diesel prices would severely affect ordinary people and lead to a sharp increase in the prices of all essential commodities.
He said the burden would fall disproportionately on poor and marginalised working-class families and urged the Union government to immediately withdraw the fuel price hike.