Humour, anger, shock: Netizens react to petrol price crossing Rs 100/litre
New Delhi, Jul 7: As the price of petrol crossed an all-time high of Rs 100 per litre in Delhi and several other cities on Wednesday, netizens flooded microblogging site Twitter with varied reactions, some coping with the unfortunate news with humour and others just expressing plain, simple shock.
Hashtags like #petroldieselpricehike and #petrol100notout are being used in large numbers since the fuel prices were increased in line with firming international oil trends.
Humour seems to be the key to coping with the news as memes and jokes started doing the rounds soon after the price hike.
Sharing a picture of a bicycle that has been made to look like a motorcycle using cardboards, a Twitter user said this was the kind of bike that Indians would be able to ride following the fuel price hike.
"Desi bike...after petrol, diesel price hike," the user tweeted.
Desi Bike...
— Asif H Belavanaki INC (@AsifBelavanaki) July 5, 2021
After Petrol Diesel Price Hike...#PetrolPriceHike pic.twitter.com/FRk0TEyiu0
Taking a dig at Narendra Modi's 2014 poll pitch of acchhe din aayenge (good days would come), a Twitter user shared a caricature depicting a man saying, Kaash woh bure din he wapas atay (I wish the bad days could return).
Kaash woh bure din he wapas aatay :( pic.twitter.com/xwRLIIvaD1
— Aafaq Hamid (@aafaq_hamid) June 21, 2021
A photograph of a petrol bill from 1963 when petrol cost 72 paisa per litre has emerged as a favourite among the Twitterati.
Reposting the image of the cash memo, a social media user wrote, "Petrol cash bill on 02/02/1963.... 1 litre = 0.72. If I had #Timemachine i'll go back and fill my vehicles."
#PetrolPriceHike,#PetrolDieselPriceHike
— Time is Precious!!Use it Wisely!! (@iamKLVR) July 2, 2021
Petrol cash bill on 02/02/1963.... 1 litre = 0.72
If I had #Timemachine i'll go back and fill my vehicles.. ???? pic.twitter.com/ZthsoJZPu4
According to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers, petrol price was increased by 35 paise per litre and diesel by 23 paise a litre.
In Delhi, petrol now costs Rs 100.21 a litre and diesel is priced at Rs 89.53 per litre.
Delhi is the last of the metro cities to see petrol rising above the Rs 100-a-litre mark. Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune already have prices above that mark.
Kolkata also saw petrol prices climbing over Rs 100 per litre on Wednesday.
According to a social media user, the fuel prices were being jacked up so frequently that waking up to a price hike had become a way of life.
No stoppage to hike in price for diesel and petrol. Every morning wake up with this news. Feels like it is no more a news now. Now only elections can relieve us middle class people(sic)," the user wrote.
For others, the unprecedented hike in fuel prices simply reinforced their disappointment and anger at the current dispensation.
"Masterstroke by Modi government. Petrol in Delhi crossed ?100 and Modi is celebrating the occasion by expanding his cabinet...," a Twitter user posted.
Masterstroke by modi government petrol in Delhi crossed ₹100 and Modi is celebrating the occasion by expanding his cabinet..#PetrolPriceHike pic.twitter.com/FIixRnL6nc
— Vini J (@Vini_J26) July 7, 2021
"Situation of inflation in Delhi and other parts of India is really worrisome. These are times when the government should be with people of India , helping them...but instead they are asking people to pay Rs 100 a litre, another user wrote.
Reactions on the social media are a reflection of the frustration that is boiling up beyond the internet.
The fuel price hike has added significantly to Delhi-based Sayan Kundu's expenses.
"I purchased my only car in August 2017. Due to this reckless rise in fuel prices, according to my calculations, my last round trip to Lucknow from Delhi cost me nearly Rs 3,000 more than what it would have in 2017. A nearly 30 per cent increase!" the 32-year-old said.
Now, 28-year-old Ankit Gautam has to think twice before deciding to take out his car. Unless it is for an essential purpose, a car is a big no.
"I used to get the tank full as soon as my salary arrived every month. Now, I take my car out only when it is absolutely necessary. Need the same frequency of hikes in my salary too," he said.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
