March 29, 2022
Santanu Sen’s speech on The Appropriation Bill, 2022 and The Finance Bill, 2022
Sir, standing on behalf of the propeople and pro-poor people party, the All India Trinamool Congress, I was
listening to my BJP colleague talking about poor; sitting in a country where we are having more than 800 million real poor people, ∗ Now, I will be citing some examples to state the real facts. Sir, in the last seven days, 22nd to 28th March, petrol and diesel price hike took place seven times, altogether of Rs.4 per litre on petrol and Rs.4.10 per litre on diesel. Is it not against the interests of the poor? This country is selling out the profitable PSUs. They are more
interested in getting the revenue out of the fuel. Is it not against the interests of the poor? In 2014, the excise on petrol per litre was Rs.9.48; it has come in 2021 to Rs.27.90. There is an increase of 211 per cent. Is it not against the interests of the poor people of this country? : The excise duty on diesel per litre in 2014 was Rs.3.56, which became Rs.21.80 in 2021, with an increase of 633 per cent. Is it not against the interests of the poor people? So far as LPG is concerned, in 2021, the price was Rs.770. In one year, it has become Rs. 950. There is an increase of 23 per cent. Is it not against the interests of the poor people? Sir, the people are forced to use kerosene. Let me tell you the fact, in 2021, per litre kerosene was Rs.22 and in 2022, it has become Rs.45, there is an increase of 101 per cent. Is it not going against the interests of the poor people? Then, I come to domestic edible oil. I think, our learned Union Ministers, they all are practising oil free diet. That is why they have increased the price so much. In March, 2022, it was Rs.125 per litre and in one month, it has become Rs.180 per litre. There is an increase of 52 per cent. They are
forcing all of us to have oil-free diet. Sir, retail cereals, fruits, vegetables, food, there is an inflation which has driven up to 5.4 per cent by January, 2022. Fuel price for bulk users has been hiked by Rs.25 per litre. Jet fuel price has been increased by 18.3 per cent on 16th March. Sir, the sky rocketing of fuel prices will cause a further pressure on India’s worsening inflation. In January, 2022, the retail inflation rate in India crossed the RBI’s threshold limit of 4 plus 2 per cent touching a whopping 6.01 per cent. Sir, the Wholesale Price Index which is the main measure of inflation has also been in double digits for the last few months. It has become 13.11 per cent when the market perception was that it can be maximum up to 12.1 per cent. The problem is, our present Government, they are gradually forcing us towards the Mesolithic age.They are gradually forcing us to adopt the practice of using wooden logs, work on the road, eat raw vegetables and go for hunting to earn our food. That is what they are trying to do so. They are setting the poor’s kitchen into the fire and they are talking about the poor people. India has never witnessed such anti-poor people Government in the history since Independence. And, I strongly believe that the
Government should take up the issue very seriously because the poor people are crying. Otherwise, people are making their mind to give a befitting reply in due course of time. Thanks for giving me time, Sir.
