"Is this Modi's government's 'achhe din'?": CPI(M)'s Hannan Mollah questions fuel price hike

New Delhi [India], May 15 : CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah on Friday criticised the Centre over the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices, questioning the government's promise of "achhe din" as fuel prices were raised by Rs 3 per litre across the country.

Reacting to the revision, Mollah said the situation was not surprising and took a swipe at the ruling government.

"Nothing is surprising for anyone. People did not expect achhe din to arrive so soon. They thought the deadline would be 2047, but it has already come in 2026. Is this Modi Government's achhe din?" he said.

The Centre on Friday increased petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 per litre each amid the ongoing global energy crisis triggered by the West Asia conflict.

In New Delhi, petrol prices rose from Rs 94.77 to Rs 97.77 per litre, while diesel prices increased from Rs 87.67 to Rs 90.67 per litre.

The fuel price hike comes amid volatility in global crude oil markets, with Brent crude remaining above USD 100 per barrel due to ongoing tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite the global volatility, the Centre earlier maintained that India has sufficient fuel reserves and uninterrupted energy supplies.

On May 12, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said India ensured stable fuel prices and uninterrupted energy supplies despite rising global crude prices and supply disruptions.The minister had said there had been no reports of fuel shortages in the country and that refineries were operating at optimum levels.

The decision comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently made seven appeals to citizens to strengthen economic resilience by reducing dependence on imported fuel and adopting environmentally sustainable alternatives amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

PM Modi urged people to prioritise work from home, reduce fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, cut cooking oil usage, shift towards natural farming and curb gold purchases.

To tackle volatility in global fuel prices, the Prime Minister also called for changes in transportation habits. He appealed to citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using metro services and public transport wherever available, opting for carpooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railways for goods transportation and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible.

In line with the appeal, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday ordered curbs on the use of official vehicles by ministers, MLAs and other public representatives.

She also urged Delhi residents to adopt carpooling and use public transport to reduce fuel consumption.

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