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Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday shared a political cartoon on social media, focusing on the rising cost of fuel amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for austerity.
The cartoon depicts Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, riding a bicycle, his party's symbol. He is passing by a large billboard that conveys a message from the Prime Minister, "Spend less on petrol: PM." Sharing the image on X, Yadav captioned the post: "Aage badhna hai to cycle hi vikalp hai" (I've said it from the start: there is nothing better than the bicycle!) The story is set against the backdrop of an economic crunch and soaring fuel prices due to the West Asia crisis. In this narrative, the government (represented by the PM's billboard) is advising citizens to reduce their petrol consumption, a message that is often met with public frustration due to the necessity of travel. This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged citizens to prioritise work from home, cut fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, reduce cooking oil use, shift to natural farming and curb gold purchases, while addressing a gathering in Secunderabad. To combat the volatility of fuel prices, PM Modi urged a shift in how India moves. He requested citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using the metro and public transport wherever available, opting for carpooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for the movement of goods, and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible. Meanwhile, the Centre hiked the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre each on Friday across the country. In New Delhi, the 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. This comes amid a call for fuel conservation as the world faces an energy crisis amid the West Asia conflict, which led to a blockade in the significant maritime trade route, the Strait of Hormuz. The Brent oil prices have been at a record high in the wake of the US-Israel and Iran war, which began on February 28 this year. The Brent oil price has been hovering over USD 100 per barrel as the US and Iran are attempting to mediate for a long-term ceasefire in the region. The widening of the ambit of the war engulfed the West Asian countries, which are major suppliers of fuel. (ANI)
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