Amid the Opposition’s criticism of the government’s handling of the fallout from the conflict in West Asia and its demand for a discussion in Parliament on the issue, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused the Congress of indulging in cheap politics over the crisis.
The Congress on Wednesday repeated its demand for a discussion in Parliament on the issue, while chief ministers (CMs), including M K Stalin of Tamil Nadu, Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala, and Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal, urged the PM and the Union government to take steps to ensure that the supply of cooking gas is not disrupted.
The Centre on Wednesday said the Union home secretary held a meeting with the chief secretaries and directors general of police of states and Union Territories (UTs), where he asked them to take proactive action to prevent hoarding and black marketing of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders. The states and UTs were also asked to ensure a credible flow of information to people by appointing spokespersons and using their verified social media handles to communicate the steps being taken to manage the fallout of the conflict in West Asia.
Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance rally in Kochi, Kerala, Modi said the Congress “yuvaraj” (prince) does not know about the developments taking place in the country, as he was unaware that the youth and various companies in India, including in Kerala, are involved in drone manufacturing.
Referring to the West Asia crisis, the PM claimed that the India of today does not leave its citizens stranded elsewhere and that the central government is working to ensure that all help is provided to Indians stuck in the Gulf region. He said the Congress was playing politics on the issue by making “provocative and irresponsible statements”. He said the Gulf countries were looking after Indians who live and work there well, and he was grateful to them for that.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said two Indians were killed and one is missing when merchant vessels came under attack during the ongoing war in West Asia. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the control rooms of the ministry and those of its missions in the region are functioning round the clock and helping Indians who have reached out. MEA officials said the airspace of some countries, especially Kuwait and Bahrain, is completely shut, and alternative arrangements have been made to fly out Indians from airports in Saudi Arabia.
The Congress on Wednesday reiterated its demand for a full-fledged discussion in Parliament on the West Asia crisis, which has led to energy shortages. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the energy crisis is deepening in the country, and people are being made to suffer hardships.
“The country deserves the truth. We demand a full discussion on this crisis in Parliament, and the PM must answer the nation,” the Congress chief said. He said farmers are first in line to suffer as fuel shortages hit agriculture and fertiliser supply. Rationing of LPG cylinders has begun, he said, claiming that long queues for refills are being witnessed at gas agencies.
Kharge said India’s basmati exports are stuck, wheat exports are disrupted, and medicine prices are likely to surge as raw material costs rise nearly 30 per cent. The textile sector is facing cascading cost pressures, and the price of aviation fuel is rising. “From ceramic and glass to fast-moving consumer goods and automotive, every sector is feeling the heat. Every product is likely to become costlier,” Kharge said in a social media post.
In his letter to the PM, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin appealed to Modi to ensure the safe evacuation of Tamils stranded in West Asia and requested urgent intervention to address disruptions in LPG supply caused by the ongoing conflict in the region.
West Bengal CM Banerjee on Wednesday criticised the Centre over the LPG supply constraints. “The central government should have first ensured enough reserves of LPG, oil, and gas. Without that, they have imposed restrictions without any proper planning to tackle the situation,” she said. Banerjee alleged that the Centre was focusing more on politics rather than addressing issues arising out of the energy situation.
Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa on Wednesday cautioned LPG refill dealers in the state against resorting to “blackmailing or black marketing” amid the LPG crisis.
With inputs from PTI
