Giriraj Singh Slams Rahul Gandhi For Undermining India's Global Stand

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday accused the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of having a “habit” of confusing the nation and undermining India’s standing on the global stage.

Speaking to ANI outside parliament, Singh said, “It has become a habit of the Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to spread confusion in the country and question the foreign policy… Having tea at the Makara Dwar and insulting the nation, he also spread confusion during COVID.”

His remarks come amid a heated debate between the government and opposition over national energy security, fueled by the escalating West Asia conflict and its impact on global supplies.

Rahul Gandhi’s Warning on Energy Security

A day earlier, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could have serious consequences for India’s energy security, stating that “the pain has just begun.”

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran is likely to have far-reaching global and domestic repercussions.

Gandhi warned that the impact is already beginning to be felt across the country, claiming that restaurants are shutting down and there is growing panic among people over LPG availability. “A war has broken out in the Middle East. The United States, Israel, and Iran are at war. This war is going to have far-reaching consequences. The central artery from which 20% of the world’s oil flows, the Strait of Hormuz, has been closed. This is going to have tremendous repercussions, especially for us, because a very large portion of our oil and natural gas comes through the Strait of Hormuz. The pain has just started. Restaurants are closing. There’s widespread panic about LPG… This is only the beginning,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi further emphasized that energy security forms the foundation of any nation’s stability. He criticized the idea of allowing external powers to influence India’s decisions regarding its energy partnerships.

Govt Assures Energy Supply is Secure

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the country is successfully managing the major disruption in global energy supplies following the West Asia conflict.

“India has sufficient gas production and supply arrangements to sustain this position even in the event of a prolonged conflict. Power generation for every household and industry is fully protected,” Puri said.

Details on Supply Management

The Union Minister noted that the conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, a route that typically handles 20 percent of the world’s crude, natural gas, and LPG.

Addressing the House, Puri stated that India’s crude supply remains secure despite the fact that 45 percent of imports previously transited the affected route. He noted that “Non-Hormuz sourcing has risen to approximately 70 percent of crude imports, up from 55 percent before the conflict began.”

He assured the House that “There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF, or fuel oil. The availability of petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, kerosene, and fuel oil is fully assured,” with refineries operating at high capacity utilization, sometimes “exceeding 100 percent.”

“Domestic piped gas to homes and CNG for vehicles receive 100 percent supply with no cuts. Industrial and manufacturing consumers will receive up to 80 percent of their previous six-month average. Fertilizer plants will receive up to 70 percent, protecting the agricultural input chain ahead of the sowing season. Refineries and petrochemical units absorb a managed reduction, with that gas redirected to higher-priority sectors. I am pleased to inform the House that the shortfall has been substantially offset through alternative procurement,” Puri stated. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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