Calling the war in West Asia “a matter of concern for all”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday that “the expansion of the petroleum sector is essential” and “the current crisis has once again established” how important it is “for us to become atmanirbhar (self-reliant)”.
Addressing an NDA convention in Ernakulam where he also laid the foundation stone of a polypropylene unit at the nearby Kochi Refinery and inaugurated development initiatives totalling nearly Rs 11,000 crore, Modi accused the Congress of “deliberately making provocative and irresponsible statements” on the West Asia situation.
His remarks, targeting the Congress and Left for “mocking the Atmanirbhar Bharat” campaign, came ahead of the expected announcement of the schedule for Assembly elections in Kerala.
Speaking on the crisis in West Asia and recalling the rescue of nurses trapped in Iraq, and priests Tom Uzhunnalil in Yemen and Alexis Premkumar in Afghanistan, Modi said, “Millions of our brothers and sisters work there. You must remember that today there is a BJP-NDA government in the country. Whenever Indian citizens have been in trouble, we have used all our strength to rescue them safely. The Congress, which is trying to find politics even in such a major global crisis, is deliberately making provocative and irresponsible statements so that the situation worsens. Then they can start a campaign of making reels just to abuse and criticise Modi. This is their game.’’
He said governments of all friendly countries are also taking care of Indians. “Our embassies and missions are working round the clock to help our people. Whether someone needs food, medical help, a place to stay, or legal assistance – all these needs are being ensured,’’ he said.
The war, he said, has once again sent a reminder on the importance of self-reliance. He said India is striving to become self-reliant in every field including energy. “We saw how important self-reliance is during the Covid period and the Ukraine crisis. The current crisis has once again established how essential it is for us to become self-reliant,’’ he said.
On the energy sector, Modi said India has increased its solar power capacity, and given emphasis to electric vehicles to reduce dependence on fuel. “Congress and Left leaders keep mocking the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. The Congress and the Left ruled governments together, and they made the country more dependent by handing it over to foreign powers. Now, they have started spreading rumours together. Even in this time of war, the Congress and the Left are using all their strength to create panic and fear in the country. Remain alert and cautious of the rumours being spread by Congress and the Left,’’ he said.
Making similar remarks later in Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, another poll-bound state where he targeted the ruling DMK, the Prime Minister, according to news agency PTI, referred to the LPG supply issue and said, “Today, I would like to speak to the people of Tamil Nadu about the conflict in West Asia. It has affected the whole world’s energy supply chain. We believe in the ideology of India First. There is no need to panic or pay attention to rumours. In any situation, we have seen how our government always puts the interests of India above everything.”
“During the Covid pandemic, 140 crore Indians showed the world how mature our nation is. I am confident that as a nation, we will navigate every situation successfully,” he said.
His remarks came on the day Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), said measures taken by the government for maintaining continuous LPG supplies to households amid the West Asia conflict had led to a 25% increase in domestic LPG production, and there was no need for panic booking of LPG cylinders by households.
Sharma said some panic booking and hoarding behaviour had been observed due to “misinformation”. She said the normal LPG delivery cycle – of two-and-a-half days from the time of booking – was being maintained, and appealed to consumers to not rush-book cylinders.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
