Alphons stokes row over petroleum prices

Thiruvananthapuram Sep 16 (IANS) Bureacrat-turned-Union Minister KJ Alphons on Saturday yet again stoked a controversy when he said that people who own bikes and cars are not starving and can afford to pay higher prices for fuel.

His comments coming at a time when fuel prices are at a three-year high when international crude prices have crashed attracted strong criticism from opposition parties which described them as insensitive to the common man s problems.

"So we are going to tax people who can afford to pay. Somebody who has a car bike; certainly he is not starving. Somebody who can afford to pay has to pay " he said.

As his remarks came under attack Alphons who had a recently stirred the hornet s nest by making contradictory remarks on beef sought to justify his statement on the petroleum prices.

"Prime Minister has a huge dream for the poor of India. What is that dream? It is very simple. 30 per cent of Indians go to bed without a full meal meal a day. Lot of our people do not have access to toilet. Lot of people do not have a house " he said.

Congress leader and former petroleum minister Veerappa Moily attacked Alphons saying it was an atrocious statement. "This is how bureaucrats who come to politics have no understanding of people s problems. Many of the ministers in Modi s government are like this."

He said during the UPA government any of the petroleum minister they had decided to pass on the benefit of low crude prices to consumers. "Anti-incumbency has set in against the government " he said.

TRS spokesman Bhanuprasad described Alphons statement as shocking. The government is still fleecing people when crude prices have come down he said.

Another Congress spokesperson Brajesh Kalappa said the minister s comments have added pain to people at a time when they have lost jobs and business is falling. "Just because somebody has a bike or a car can you say they have a life of luxury? This kind of statement is shocking and insensitive and the Prime Minister has to ask for his resignation."

--IANS
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