Following a hike in fuel prices because of the Middle East crisis, MNM (Makkal Needhi Maiam) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene a national summit of all chief ministers.
He appealed to the Centre and state governments to share the burden and make the lives of common people better by reducing the VAT (Value Added Tax) on fuel, and reducing fares for trains, Metros and buses so that people switch from private to public transport. "Both the central and state governments should work together to protect the common man and do these two things immediately," he said.
Emphasising that it is vital to protect Indian households from inflation, he added, "Remember, every unit of energy saved today strengthens India tomorrow and every drop of oil saved protects the poorest Indian from inflation. But if we face this crisis together, India can and will emerge stronger."
With the PM asking people to practice energy conservation over the coming year, Haasan emphasised that national duty must transcend party politics.
Haasan had also recently appealed to the Indian film industry to pay attention to the "growing disconnect between spending and purpose" and optimise budgets on production and shoots amid the conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He batted for filming within India, saying, "Why must every love story bloom only in Paris, and every honeymoon end in Switzerland? Romance, fortunately, does not require foreign exchange. Indian cinema, and Indians, deserve a little more confidence in themselves and our beautiful country."
"Together, we must evolve practical and sustainable operating practices for efficient filmmaking: better shooting discipline, tighter schedules, reduced luxury and entourage expenses, limiting avoidable foreign travel where suitable local alternatives exist, conserving energy across sets and studios, and encouraging sustainable set construction and reuse of materials," he added.
(With inputs from Sri Smruthi S)
