Story of a LPG

              Story of a LPG

There was a time when i was luxury but now after this “lotera from Gujarat” came to south block, I became the stupid meaningless household entity. Once i use to feel elated about my reputation, I was superior, and I won’t mince my words but i use to look down to my competitors, especially  kerosene but then this mad king came and started giving me to everyone .... now i sit there in slums, burn myself day and night and thing about the decade lost in glory.

It all started in 2003, i was priced at 241 INR but then India witnessed the best PM, Mr. Economist and my take home was 281 INR, not everyone can be good in economics so let me put this in percentage.... this was a Hike of 16.38%.  it was a fantastic, considering last time i had seen my value increased was 2000 as then I was priced at 232... so practically this was first time post 2000 that something significant happened… and by 2004 I was officially 241.

It was UPA-I, the fame was short lived, for next 4 years i was struggling to make any relevance in the Domestic house hold but then in 2008 miracle happened i got salary hike and this time i got priced at 346, jump of 23.14%, it was indeed surreal. But this fame was short lived, recession happened and soon most of us were out of Job and rest of us had to take pay cut and by 2009 i was back to my previous grade, 281 INR.

Things change and in 2010, with the jump of 23.14%, i was back in the game, priced at 345 INR, I was happy, I felt superior to most of them, it was then Mr Economist realized my potential and salary hike became regular. By 2012 i got priced at 399, with a 17% hike, I felt untouchable and there was no looking back … in another 6 months i got another hike by now my CTC was 410….but then every phase has an end, 2014 election happened and the Thug from Gujarat became PM of India.

A radical by heart, he evoked sentiments, brainwashed people to give away their subsidy, and it was the first blow to my panache.... if this was not enough he gave communal angle and for the first time my worth was divided between Upper salary and lower salary people. If this was not enough, this maut ka saudhagar gave away me like a freebie to rural India, what right he had to treat me like this? from "a thing" of 3 BHK I have been reduced to place holder in some 500sqft slumboard authority place. People who couldn't afford toilets started using me, from being symbol of getting vote, i was reduced to just another household entity.

Then 2015 happened, they decided to give me hike, i was happy, but when the appraisal letter came, it shocked me, mere 1.7% pay hike, they removed the variable component by using vicious aadhar.....this was first Single digit hike of my career, i was shattered being priced at 417.

i thought my relevance has gone, missing yesteryears glory, i started sulking and missing the love I use to get from Mr. Economist, who always appreciated my value and always gave me double digit hike.

In 2016 i put my papers, i could not take it anymore, … good sense prevailed and they decided for market correction, but when I looked at the appraisal mail, it was 3% hike (well i call this peanuts) by now my CTC of 432.

Its 2017 and i have received another hike letter, it’s shameful to discuss in public, but i need to share and make all of you feel my pain, a 0.4% hike is lesser than what the stupid regulator gets… with revised CTC of 434 rupees, i feel like hiding my face behind some cupboard.

 Now my only hope 2019. I wish Mr. Economist comes to power and i get my dues. I have asked my friend to stage a protest, sharing forwards at facebook, confuse everyone with the prices of commercial, subsidies and non-subsidized.

This is not just my fight, it’s fight of all secular minded people who believes that actual liberal mind knows how to defy equality.