“Fuel price hike doesn’t affect me, I’m a minister, I get fuel for free”

“The Fuel Price Hike does not affect me, I am a minister, I get fuel for free, but yes the people are suffering and the government is trying to bring down the price of fuel,” said Union Minister and Republican Part of India (A) leader Ramdas Athawale on Saturday, September 15. The minister’s insensitive comment came on a day when Mumbai, capital of the minister’s home state of Maharashtra, saw petrol hit a record ₹89 per litre.

Former J&K Chief Minister and prominent Opposition politician Omar Abdullah hit out at Athawale, tweeting “Actually Minister Sahib your fuel@is not free, it’s being paid for by the taxes of hard working people. Not only are they paying for your “free fuel”, they have to pay for their own as well. But then you don’t pay taxes either!”

Twitter users also lashed out at Athawale in their replies to the News18 tweet carrying his quote.

*Developing story