The superman flying away with the cooking gas cylinder in his hand to indicate that it is now unreachable to the common people, and a group of women beating the cylinder with ladles and rice spoons reminding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to make noise beating the utensils during the first phase of Coronavirus are the latest memes and videos creating noise against the rising cylinder prices.
A heady mix of sarcasm and anger is reflected in the latest social media campaign started by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) against the recent hike of cooking gas cylinder by ₹50. “Modiji appko ghanta pasand hai naa. Isiliye hum ghanta bhajaye, gas ka daam kam karo,” is what the women say in the video now being circulated.
With regard to the superman posters that sprung up across the city, the comments say “Even super Heroes can’t afford gas price hike.” The memes and videos are part of yet another direct attack on the Prime Minister by the TRS that started ever since the TRS chief and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao decided to take up cudgels against the Centre.
The war of words in the media, posters on the city roads and the memes on social media started ever since the BJP announced the dates for its national executive committee meeting in Hyderabad, which ended on July 3. The hike of ₹50 per cylinder, which now costs ₹1,105, provided yet another opportunity for the TRS to target the BJP that has raised the bar of personal criticism against the Chief Minister’s functioning and governance.
TRS social media team member and Chairman of the Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation (TSMDC) Manne Krishank says this was the manifestation of people’s anger against the Modi government which has increased the gas price by several hundred rupees despite the pandemic.
TRS working president and IT Minister, K.T. Rama Rao said with his failed economic policies, PM Modi is affecting the common public adversely. He said under the BJP rule in the past eight years, the cooking gas prices have increased by 170% and gas was most expensive in India compared to other countries.
“With the recent increase of ₹50, the country has seen a whopping ₹ 244 price increase on each gas cylinder this year alone,” he said. He said in 2014 the gas cylinder price was just ₹410 and with the present price being over ₹1100 it only reflects the inefficiency of the BJP government.
KTR stated that on one side the rupee value was drastically dropping and on the other side fuel prices were skyrocketing hitting the budgets of every household.
