The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over rising inflation and repeated fuel price hikes, claiming that four increases in petrol and diesel prices within eight days have made life increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens.
In a strongly worded editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party alleged that the government fears growing public anger over inflation and is attempting to suppress criticism.
The editorial claimed that fuel price hikes have a cascading impact on the cost of essential commodities and accused the government of trying to silence expressions of public resentment.
“The government is so terrified that it has banned the song ‘Mehngai Dayyan Khaaye Jaat Hai’ from the film Peepli Live. The message seems to be: suffer the pain of inflation but do not speak about it,” the editorial alleged.
The party further accused the government of being intolerant of criticism, alleging that it fears political opponents, stand-up comedians and public dissent. It also claimed that investigative agencies such as the ED and CBI were being used against opposition leaders.
Referring to political developments in West Bengal and Maharashtra, the editorial alleged that the ruling establishment was attempting to undermine opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee and Uddhav Thackeray.
The article pointed out that BJP leaders, including late former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and former Union Minister Smriti Irani, had actively protested against inflation during previous governments.
“The BJP came to power raising the issue of inflation. Today, the same government appears uncomfortable with criticism over rising prices,” the editorial stated.
Recalling the 2010 film Peepli Live, the editorial highlighted the popular song ‘Mehngai Dayyan Khaaye Jaat Hai’, sung by actor Raghubir Yadav, which portrays the struggles of common people dealing with rising costs despite working hard to earn a livelihood.
The party argued that the song had become a symbol of public frustration over inflation and questioned why citizens should not relate to it when facing rising fuel and commodity prices.
According to the editorial, the removal of the song from social media platforms shortly after it was posted by Aamir Khan Productions reflected alleged pressure from authorities, though no evidence was cited for the claim.
The editorial concluded by asserting that public anger over inflation cannot be addressed by restricting criticism or removing content from social media. It warned that economic hardship and rising prices could intensify public dissatisfaction in the coming months.
The criticism comes amid a series of fuel price hikes that have pushed petrol and diesel rates higher across the country, sparking political reactions from opposition parties and concerns over inflationary pressures.
