The Congress party on Monday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his appeal to the public to reduce petroleum product consumption in light of rising crude oil prices due to the crisis in West Asia. They alleged that the BJP-led government has “actively enabled” India’s significant reliance on crude oil and natural gas imports.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated, “After presiding over and actively enabling India’s record dependence on crude oil and natural gas imports, now the PM pleads and begs India’s consumers to take the onus of minimising consumption. He should first explain to the nation what happened to the thousands of crores of fraudulent investments made by GSPC – which he then covered up through its merger into ONGC.”
During an event in Vadodara, PM Modi highlighted the global energy supply disruptions caused by the conflict in West Asia. He remarked, “From the Corona crisis through global economic disruptions to West Asia tensions, the world faces unprecedented instability that affects every nation, yet just as we collectively overcame Corona, we will certainly overcome this crisis through persistent government effort.”
He emphasized the need for public participation, noting that a significant portion of India’s imports consists of crude oil sourced from conflict regions, leading to dual crises of scarcity and price hikes.
The Prime Minister suggested collective action through small individual commitments and outlined strategies to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, advocating for the use of public transport and carpooling initiatives.
“Wherever possible, reduce consumption of petrol and diesel by using metro, electric buses, and public transport more; both government and private offices must prioritize virtual meetings and work-from-home arrangements to significantly reduce unnecessary fuel consumption,” he stated.
Additionally, he urged for reduced cooking oil consumption for health benefits and suggested postponing gold purchases during crisis periods, highlighting that the nation spends considerable foreign currency on these imports.
“The nation spends significant foreign currency on cooking oil and gold imports while destination weddings consume reserves that could strengthen national resilience, making restraint essential during this period of global uncertainty,” he added.
