← Latest news 
DK Shivakumar calls petrol diesel hike Modi’s gift and says Indians can’t be told to curb spending
Politics
Published on 15 May 2026
He mocks Modi’s ‘fuel saving’ appeal as unenforceable
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over measures asking citizens to save fuel and delay gold purchases, calling the petrol and diesel price hike a “gift” in a “tragic situation.” He said such appeals are unrealistic because people earn and live their lives accordingly. Prices rose Rs 3 per litre for both fuels on Friday—the first increase in over four years—amid retailer losses tied to global crude costs after the West Asia conflict.
- Petrol and diesel prices rose Rs 3 per litre on Friday
- It was the first fuel rate increase in more than four years
- Retailers face losses as global crude prices climbed after West Asia conflict
- Modi urged fuel restraint plus postponed gold purchases and travel
- Shivakumar said consumption can’t be controlled and daily life can’t pause
- He called gold postponement especially impractical for households
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times