Mumbai, May 26 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Tuesday criticised the rise in inflation and four hikes in petrol and diesel prices within eight days, saying that it has made the life of the people miserable.

It alleged the Central government fears inflation will inflame public sentiment, leading people to take to the streets against them.

The Thackeray camp, in a scathing editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, said fuel inflation hits all essential commodities. “The government is so terrified that they have banned the song ‘Mehngai Dayyan Khaaye Jaat Hai’ (Inflation, the witch, keeps eating us up) from the movie ‘Peepli [Live]’. It essentially implies: die burning in the fire of inflation, but do not utter a single word of pain. This government must be called absolute cowards,” it claimed.

The editorial further remarked that the government is afraid of criticism and scared of mimicry and stand-up comedians, even throwing them into prison. “The government fears political opponents and unleashes agencies like the ED and CBI against them. It fears Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and Uddhav Thackeray in Maharashtra, thereby plundering the elections in those states. The government threatened the ‘online’ cockroach janata party, and now, by banning a song written on inflation, it has shown itself to be a terrified dictator,” it alleged.

“Ironically, the Modi-BJP government came to power using the very ‘inflation’ song they have now banned. Prominent BJP leaders, including Sushma Swaraj and Smriti Irani, used to hit the streets over the rising prices of onions, milk, cylinders, and other essentials. They used to make the Parliament reverberate with their protests. There is no record of the Congress ever suppressing democracy by banning protests against inflation or songs about inflation; however, the current government is completely acting against public sentiment because it is terrified,” commented the editorial.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said, “When the movie ‘Peepli Live’ was released in 2010, Dr Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister. The song in the film, sung in the voice of Raghubir Yadav — ‘Sakhi Saiyan To Khoob Hi Kamaat Hai, Mehngai Dayyan Khaaye Jaat Hai…’ — narrates the bitter truth of a common man’s life. The husband works hard and tries to earn enough for sustenance, but inflation swallows everything.”

“Whenever the monster of inflation wreaks havoc, this song is remembered. Even now, since inflation has made the life of the common man miserable, what is wrong if the people of the country remember this song?” it asked.

However, the editorial stated that the Central government’s policy is that one shouldn’t even remember this song. “The song, which was posted on actor Aamir Khan Productions’ handle, was deleted within a short time. It is obvious that government pressure and oppression lie behind this. In reality, this is not just a film song; it has been a symbol of public resentment for many years. The BJP once loved this song, but now their government detests the song and the angry emotions within it,” it noted.

The editorial argued that if there is public resentment against inflation, the government should not suppress it. Removing this song from social media will not eliminate inflation. On the contrary, the fury simmering in the minds of the public will erupt fiercely. The tower of BJP’s power, standing on the pillars of fear, will now collapse like a house of cards. The ban imposed on the song about ‘inflation’ is just the beginning,” it said.

–IANS

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