Kishan Slams Rahul's Petro Pump Remark
Kishan Reddy said the safety of 90 lakh Indians residing and working in the Gulf remained the Modi government's top priority amid the crisis
Hyderabad: Union minister G. Kishan Reddy alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had proposed shutting down petrol pumps from 8 pm to 8 am, during the Congress-led UPA government's tenure, when alleged mis-governance, corruption, and nepotism plunged the country into a colossal economic crisis in the second half of 2013. Only after sharp criticism from all quarters did the then-UPA government roll back its decision, he claimed.
Kishan Reddy alleged that to save foreign exchange outgo — at a time India was grouped in the so-called "Fragile Five" —the UPA had launched an oil conservation campaign aimed at cutting fuel demand by 3 per cent to save an estimated $2.5 billion.
Against this alleged backdrop, Kishan Reddy issued a statement on Thursday to condemn the Congress leaders' “misleading statements” aimed at inciting fear of a petroleum crisis due to the war in West Asia. He claimed the Narendra Modi government had built a robust energy safety net. The minister hit out at Opposition leaders for their baseless claims on the West Asia crisis and India's energy situation, charging that their ecosystem was designed to foster hoarding and black-marketing of petroleum products.
Kishan Reddy said the safety of 90 lakh Indians residing and working in the Gulf remained the Modi government's top priority amid the crisis. "Our 'multi-vector' diplomacy keeps every channel open, ensuring our diaspora stays protected," he said.
