Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty on Monday voiced support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for citizens to reduce fuel consumption and be less dependent on imports amid disruptions caused by the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
In a post on X, Murty welcomed the Prime Minister’s proposals to save fuel and increase the use of virtual meetings.
“I welcome our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji’s suggestion to citizens regarding judicial use of fuel and adopting virtual meetings whenever possible. In light of the current supply chain disruptions caused by the West Asian crisis, such steps are important for our nation’s resilience,” she wrote.
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Sudha Murty supports Prime Minister Modi’s call to reduce fuel consumption in the wake of supply chain disruptions caused by the crisis in West Asia, stressing that such steps are key to the nation’s resilience.
PM Modi urges citizens to minimize unnecessary spending on foreign exchange, reduce fuel consumption by using public transport or carpooling and prefer virtual meetings over physical ones.
The crisis in West Asia is disrupting global supply chains and driving up international oil prices, leading to higher fuel and import costs for India, which is heavily dependent on oil imports.
Alternatives supported include using public transport, electric buses, carpooling and favoring virtual meetings and working from home arrangements to reduce dependence on petrol and diesel.
PM Modi also suggested postponing non-essential foreign trips and gold purchases, reducing consumption of edible oil and promoting locally manufactured products to reduce dependence on imports and save foreign exchange.
Her remarks came shortly after Prime Minister Modi, while addressing an event in Vadodara, urged citizens to minimize unnecessary foreign exchange spending and take measures that could reduce pressure on national resources.
Sudha Murty’s earlier Parliament remarks resurface
Murty’s latest reaction also brought renewed attention to her earlier remarks in Parliament on rising fuel prices and the global energy crisis.
Read also | After WFH, Modi suggests schools to opt for online courses amid crisis in West Asia
A video of a Rajya Sabha MP speaking in the House while Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri looked on went viral on social media last month.
Responding to concerns over rising fuel prices, Murty argued that the problem was more to do with global developments than domestic decisions.
“Everybody talks about the price of gas bottles going up, but we never started a war, we never asked for gas prices to go up,” she said.
“India did not start the war and the rise in fuel prices affects the whole world, not just India,” she added.
Murty also appealed to people to look at the issue in a wider geopolitical context and called for public understanding.
“We should think about why prices have gone up,” she said in the House of Commons.
Acknowledging the challenges the government faces during the global energy crisis, she added: “I understand the difficulties of our petroleum minister.”
Read also | WFH Advice: Why PM Modi urged Indians to stay home amid West Asian crisis
Global crisis associated with supply chain disruption
During her speech in Parliament, Murty also mentioned the impact of geopolitical tensions on fuel chains and infrastructure.
“If the pipelines in Iran are damaged, we cannot fix them,” she said.
“I ask everyone to understand the situation,” she added.
Her comments sparked a wide debate on the internet, with many social media users discussing the impact of international conflicts on Indian fuel prices and imports.
PM Modi’s call amid crisis in West Asia
Prime Minister Modi said in Vadodara on Monday that India was facing challenges due to rising prices of imported goods and disruption to global supply chains caused by conflict in West Asia.
“Even today there is a need for us all to come together and fulfill our responsibility to reduce the burden on the country’s resources,” the Prime Minister said.
He called on citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption wherever possible and called for the use of public transport, electric buses and carpooling.
“I appeal to every citizen of my country to reduce the use of petrol and diesel as much as possible,” he said.
Read also | OMCs absorb ₹1,000 daily losses to keep fuel prices stable amid Iran war
The prime minister also proposed giving priority to virtual meetings and arranging work from home in government and private offices.
PM Modi further appealed to people to reduce dependence on imported products and postpone non-essential expenditure involving foreign exchange, including purchases of gold and overseas travel.
Read also | Why PM Modi asked Indians to avoid buying gold and what it means for prices
“A huge amount of the country’s money is also going abroad to import gold,” he said, urging citizens to delay buying gold until the situation normalizes.
He also reiterated his “Vocal for Local” and urged people to support locally made products instead of imported goods.
The Prime Minister made a similar call during an event in Telangana on Sunday as well.
