Triple whammy for the people, but they are patience personified People of India, particularly those in Kerala, should be praised for their immense patience for suffering the hardships in many ways. The Government of India has hiked the price of diesel and cut down the quantum of subsidised LPG cylinders. I am sure there would be many more such acts of administrative adventure. But then shall we suffer protests also each time? The present acts are definitely deleterious to the common people. But then one hartal has passed off, in protest, on Saturday. Now there is another all-India life-stilling protest, hartal of course, on September 20. Will these hartals prod the government to backtrack? Not indeed. These would only help the political parties which call for such action. If the protesting parties are indeed sincere, they should withdraw support for the government. But they would not, for they have two more years to go to remain MPs, and some Ministers. Meanwhile, the people would suffer, first the governmental pouncing ,and then the protests of the parties. Whenever the government goes in for a hike in price, it is sure the system would absorb it. The same is the case with protest hartals as well.