Kannada activist and former MLA Vatal Nagaraj said on Wednesday that the escalation of diesel, petrol, and LPG rates has affected the commoners and the government was indifferent to their plight.
Mr. Nagaraj said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was apathetic to the consequences of the price hike on the poor and the middle class. He said the prices of petrol, gas, and diesel should be brought down by 50% so as to provide relief to the public.
Wondering at the indifference of the public against raising their voice, Mr. Nagaraj said it is strange that those affected by the price hike were not taking to streets. “The price hike will not affect political leaders, MLAs, MPs, and the rich, and it is only the middle class and the poor which is suffering silently,” he said.
The Congress and the JD(S) came under flak and said they did not persist with their protests against the price hike and that “their leaders were in comatose stage.” Mr. Nagaraj said in the byelections in the State, price hike was not an issue and the political parties were content engaged in mutual recriminations. This was dangerous to the democratic set up and people should take to protests to let the government know their plight.
He referred to the recriminatory language of the BJP leaders in recent days and said they were lowering the dignity of the office they held and wanted action to be initiated against the individuals using such language.
