The Left Democratic Front (LDF) staged a walkout from the Kerala Assembly on Tuesday,criticizing Chief Minister V.D . Satheesan for his perceived indifference to the escalating fuel and cooking gas prices affecting ordinary citizens. Leader of the Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan,accused Satheesan of trivializing the hardships faced by families amid supply chain disruptions linked to the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
Vijayan expressed frustration that the Chief Minister merely promised to "examine the matter" without offering concrete solutions. He described Satheesan's comments as dismissive, stating that the government had failed to adequately address the crisis that is straining household budgets across the state .
In a pointed critique,Vijayan noted that Satheesan had opened debate on LDF's request for an adjournment discussion with a vague remark rather than a focused response. He argued that instead of presenting clear strategy to tackle the fuel price surge, the Chief Minister attempted to distract the Assembly with discussions about a potential White Paper on Kerala's finances.
"Kerala is waiting to see whether Mr. Satheesan will practice what he preached as former Leader of the Opposition by forsaking the tax revenue on fuel," Vijayan remarked. He highlighted the historical context,asserting that the Congress-led UPA government had previously transferred authority to regulate fuel prices from the central government to oil companies, which prioritize profits over the cost-of-living concerns of families.
Vijayan further criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for continuing this policy, allowing oil companies to set prices without accountability to consumers. He claimed that BJP's actions have undermined national sovereignty,particularly by halting purchase of affordable crude oil from Russia under pressure from the United States .
In response,Satheesan defended his administration, suggesting that the LDF's accusations were hypocritical . He pointed out that the LDF had previously imposed a ₹2 cess on fuel and diesel,exacerbating the financial burden on residents already grappling with inflation . "The ill-thought-out decision cost the State hundreds of crores in fuel tax revenue," he stated, noting that many truckers and interstate buses were refueling at cheaper outlets across Kerala's borders with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, leading to significant revenue losses.
Satheesan assured the Assembly that the government would explore measures to alleviate the "inflationary pressure" resulting from rising fuel costs and diminishing remittances from the Gulf, a situation worsened by the ongoing conflict . Both the ruling party and the opposition acknowledged the potential economic fallout from Iran-US war, with fears that soaring cooking gas prices could disrupt family budgets and severely impact the hotel and tourism sectors.
Former Finance Minister K.N . Balagopal had initiated the Rule 50 notice,but Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan rejected LDF's call for an adjournment debate on the fuel crisis,leaving the opposition dissatisfied with the government's handling of the pressing issue .
