Yoga guru Ramdev's advice for Indians amid fuel price hike: Work hard to deal with inflation

New Delhi: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has a word of advice for his countrymen who are complaining about the growing petrol and diesel price: Work hard to deal with price rise. Petrol and diesel prices have increased by Rs 6.40 per litre since March 22, 2022, when oil marketing companies re-started the daily revision of fuel prices after a hiatus of 137 days.

Ramdev, during a visit to Karnal on Wednesday (March 30), said, "“Even a Sanyasi like me works hard, from 4 am to 10 pm. The general public needs to work hard to increase their earnings to deal with this inflation."

While he agreed that prices should go down, he said he understands the government's dilemma. "The government says that if oil prices are low, they won't get tax, then how will they run the country, pay salaries of Defence personnel, build roads? Yes, inflation should go down, I agree... But people need to work hard. Even I, a Sanyasi, wake up at 4 in the morning and work till 10 at night," Ramdev said as his supporters were seen clapping and cheering for him in the background. 

But the Yoga guru lost his cool when a reporter kept reminding him that he had earlier said on TV interviews that people should consider a government that can ensure petrol for ₹40 a litre and cooking gas at ₹300 a cylinder. While he tried to put forth his point, he got angry when cross questioned about his earlier stance. "Don't ask such questions. Am I a thekedar (contractor) to answer every question posed by you?" he said angrily.

Baba ramdev ka ghmand dekho 
Isne logo ko jhuthi umid di
Or aaj question kie to akad m h baba pic.twitter.com/z5M5r7OdxS — Rajan (@RajanJh34157543) March 30, 2022

Petrol and diesel prices have been increased again on Thursday (March 31). Both petrol and diesel will cost 80 paise more today than the rates on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. Since November 4, 2021, there has been a sharp rise in crude oil prices in the global markets. As a result, fuel retailers reportedly faced massive losses for not increasing petrol and diesel rates with global fuel price hikes. However, the small daily increases in petrol and diesel rate, that started on March 22, 2022, could provide them with some respite. 

According to a report by Moody's, major fuel retailers such as the IOC, BPCL and HPCL lost a total of about Rs 19,000 crore in revenue between November last year and March this year by keeping petrol and diesel rates unchanged at a time when there was a sharp rise in crude oil prices in global markets.