Fuel Price Shock: CPI(ML) Blasts Centre's Policy Failures

In a bold frontal attack, CPI(ML) has condemned the central government's decision to raise petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 per litre, branding it as the ultimate transfer of economic mismanagement onto the shoulders of India's struggling populace. The party's central committee statement paints a grim picture of a regime evading accountability while citizens bear the brunt. Just weeks after PM Modi's fuel conservation sermon and with 2026 polls on the horizon, this hike exposes the hollowness of official denials about the economy's downturn. CPI(ML) links it directly to flawed foreign policy shifts towards American-Israeli blocs, which have intensified import pressures and supply chain disruptions. Drawing parallels to the COVID-19 abandonment of the vulnerable, the party criticizes hypocritical calls for belt-tightening among the public. Government rhetoric blames West Asian tensions and crude price volatility, yet consumers saw no relief during past dips— a clear favoritism towards corporate oil giants, asserts CPI(ML). This isn't isolated; it's part of a broader crisis. LPG scarcity has hit households hard, eateries are shuttering, laborers are fleeing cities, and joblessness is rampant. The price escalation will fuel inflation across the board, hammering food, farming, logistics, and everyday transport costs. CPI(ML) urges an urgent reversal of the hike, scrapping of deregulated pricing mechanisms, and imposition of price caps to shield the economy. 'The people won't foot the bill for elite policy blunders,' the statement concludes, signaling a call to arms for affected masses.