In a kettle of boiling water one molecule of water alone cannot stay cool. Similarly in the case of our nation, when there is price hike and inflation all over, Tamil Nadu alone cannot stay in the simplified past.

Due to certain international compulsions and the delay in laying the gas pipeline from Iran to India, fuel prices had to be hiked. This has had a cascading effect or rather a chain reaction. When the cost of transportation increased so did everything else; including vegetables, fruits, rice, perishables and other basic items.

As the Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi recently voiced his opinion on the issue of rising prices, when purchasing power of the common man is increased price hike will have little impact. Very true, but this is the real world. The fact remains that the purchasing power of a microscopic minority of our society has increased, thanks to the IT boom and others, whereas 200 million people are still below the poverty line.

What measures have been taken by the government to increase the buying power of the people is the billion rupee question ( billion, because of our GDP slightly pointing up).

Having said what he had to say on purchasing power the chief minister has made some belated announcements to check price rise.

This is like locking the stable doors after the horse has bolted.