The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to raise the repo rate becomes a sharp and humorous economic joke in this cartoon. The stated aim of a repo rate hike is to control inflation by making borrowing more expensive and reducing excessive demand in the economy. But for an ordinary borrower, the impact can feel very different.
The cartoon shows a common man trying to kill a fly sitting on his head. The fly represents inflation, constantly irritating him with the rising cost of everyday life. Instead of using a small object to swat it, the man reaches for a huge brick labelled “REPO RATE.” The visual exaggeration creates the central joke: the weapon being used to fight inflation is so heavy that the person using it may end up hurting himself.
The paper marked “EMI” in his hand adds another layer to the satire. When interest rates rise, borrowing costs can increase, and borrowers with loans linked to floating interest rates may face higher EMIs or a longer repayment burden, depending on how their lenders pass on the change.
That creates the dilemma captured by the cartoon. Inflation puts pressure on household budgets, but measures taken to control inflation can also create financial pressure for people who already have home loans, personal loans or other borrowings.
The cartoon does not question the need to control inflation as much as it pokes fun at the uncomfortable side effect of the remedy. The common man wants the inflation “fly” gone, but the giant repo-rate brick comes with its own price.
With simple imagery, the cartoon asks a familiar economic question: when fighting inflation, who ultimately feels the pain of the cure?
Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt
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