The price of freedom

Sir — Freedom might be priceless but incarceration comes at a cost. Hyderabad’s Chanchalguda Central Jail now allows citizens to spend 24 hours locked inside a real prison cell for a price. The aim is to build awareness about prison discipline and drive home the value of personal freedoms. While it can be argued that being deprived of basic liberties for a day can prove illuminating, one must ask whether it will make a stark difference. After all, Indians have been losing liberties — the freedom to choose what to wear, what to eat, who to marry and so on — for a while now and that does not seem to have impressed upon them the significance of being free.

Anandi Roy,
Hooghly

Pocket pinch

Sir — Over the fortnight, fuel prices have been raised in four tranches (“4th hike in fuel prices raises inflation fears”, May 26). Breaking up the price rise into smaller instalments appears to be a calculated attempt to soften public outrage and make the financial burden seem less severe. But the public cannot be deceived so easily; the strain is felt each time one visits a petrol pump. The timing of the hikes — immediately after the assembly elections, even though the impact of the Iran conflict had been evident long before polling — also raises questions about political convenience. Both the Union and the state governments must now work together to ensure greater price stability.

S. Kamat,
Mysuru

Sir — The price of petroleum products is among the most critical factors deciding the future of the Indian economy. Even a marginal rise has far-reaching consequences. When the price of fuel rises, transportation costs escalate, forcing companies to increase the prices of their products. This triggers inflation in the market, adversely affecting economic performance. Strong economic growth in India and other developing nations has driven up demand for fuel, resulting in domestic price hikes. These rising costs are directly linked to fluctuations in the global crude oil prices.

D.P. Bhattacharya,
Calcutta

Sir — The recent hike in the price of fuel — the fourth time in two weeks, totalling a surge of nearly Rs 7.50 per litre — is a direct assault on household budgets and is certain to trigger cascading inflation and hurt the economy. While the public bears the brunt of the West Asia crisis, a striking contradiction emerges: State-run oil marketing companies registered a combined net profit of Rs 77,280 crore in the current financial year, marking a 130% jump compared to FY25, even as they claim daily operational losses. It is unconscionable that corporate balance sheets are strengthened while basic consumer utilities are treated as instruments of revenue extraction.

The irony is clear: while in the Opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party had reacted strongly to far smaller hikes in fuel prices and organised protests. Now, when it is in power, it is defending the hikes as market-driven revisions by oil-marketing companies in response to global prices.

S. Padmanabhan,
Kochi

Sir — The staggering of fuel price rises has offered little relief to the public. Users of petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas are being forced to bear the direct burden of these hikes. It goes without saying that the increases — and their ripple effects on the prices of everything, from food to fertiliser — are eating deeply into household savings. As usual, it is the farmers, fisherfolk, and small and medium entrepreneurs who are the worst hit.

G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Lethal wheels

Sir — Despite India’s
presence in several major global climate forums, little seems to have been done to ensure a safer and cleaner environment for its citizens. A major environmental threat has emerged in the form of ‘machine vans’ operating on crude fuel without any mechanism to check their toxic smoke.

Ironically, while owners of sophisticated motorcycles face hefty penalties for lacking pollution certificates, the authorities continue to overlook these highly polluting three-wheelers. Their increasing numbers are worsening the air quality.

Pijush Kanti Majumdar,
Hooghly

Sir — The recently exposed racket involving modified jeeps highlights a dangerous trend on Punjab’s roads. Oversized tyres, open bodies and fake number plates violate the safety and the fitness norms specified under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. These flashy vehicles have become symbols of hooliganism, reckless driving and showmanship among affluent youth and are not environment-friendly. Authorities must strictly ban illegal alterations, close unauthorised workshops and permit only certified vehicles that meet the standards.

R.S. Narula,
Patiala, Punjab

Inactive lot

Sir — Inactivity is
the bane of a healthy society. Lifestyle diseases like obesity, hypertension and diabetes set in quite early these days. These can be averted by an active lifestyle, sports, domestic chores, walking, cycling, swimming, and exercising. India’s youngsters are lagging in each of these parameters.

Ganapathi Bhat,
Akola, Maharashtra