‘Car or bike owners can afford costlier fuel’: Union minister KJ Alphons justifies price hike
The minister of state for tourism said those who own a vehicle are certainly ‘not starving’ and can pay the taxes.

Union minister KJ Alphons on Saturday stirred a controversy after he justified increasing the prices of petrol and diesel by saying that those who own cars or motorbikes, can afford to pay for costlier fuel.
“It is an intentional decision made by the government,” Alphons said at a press conference. “We are going to tax people who can afford to pay. Who buys petrol? Somebody who has a car or bike is certainly not starving. Somebody who can afford to pay, has to pay.”
The minister of state for tourism said the government was imposing taxes for the betterment of the poor of the country. “We are here for welfare of the downtrodden, ensure electricity in every village, make houses, build toilets. It is going to cost enormous amount of money,” he said.
Former Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily described Alphons’ statement as “atrocious”. “This is how bureaucrats, who come to politics, have no understanding of people’s problems,” IANS quoted the Congress leader as saying. “Many of the ministers in Modi’s government are like this.”
Who buys petrol? Somebody who has a car, bike; certainly he is not starving. Somebody who can afford to pay, has to pay:Alphons Kannanthanam
— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2017
It is going to cost enormous amount of money. So we are going to tax people who can afford to pay: Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam pic.twitter.com/LbPFGZQPmR
— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2017
KJ Alphons says those who can afford to buy cars and bikes must pay higher cost of fuel. By this logic any act of robbery can be justified.
— Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) September 16, 2017