Union home minister P Chidambaram chided the urban middle class for bemoaning soaring prices of fuel and essential commodities. He said, “When the urban middle class can buy a bottle of mineral water for Rs 15 and ice-cream for Rs 20, why do they make so much noise about price rise?” He justifies price rise by saying it has directly benefited farmers.

The increase may have done good to the farmers but it has affected the urban middle class who is being taxed for buying anything. They, too, contribute to the economy and putting more pressure on them does affect their earnings. At the same time, big companies and corporate houses enjoy unexplained favours and tax exemptions? While robbing Peter to pay Paul can be justified, robbing Peter's very first cousin to pay Peter does not seem a wise strategy.