Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the second part of the budget session of Parliament in New Delhi, Monday, March 16, 2026. | Photo credit: Sansad TV
The opposition questioned the allocation of ₹57,381 million for the Economic Stabilization Fund proposed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Appropriation Bill to address potential supply chain difficulties due to the conflict in West Asia, saying the crisis was “man-made”. Senior Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil, who participated in the debate on the bill, said that since independence, India has pledged to remain non-aligned.
The Strait of Hormuz is important to the country’s interests, Mr. Gohil said, adding that India’s relations with Iran have been “very good” for many centuries. “There was no need to visit Israel,” Mr Gohil said, criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the country.
“Foreign policy should be in the interest of the country. The failure to maintain good relations (with other countries) is now the reason for such a huge demand (for the economic stabilization fund),” he said, adding that the opposition was concerned about the cooking gas issue. “People are standing in long queues waiting for LPG,” Mr Gohil said.
According to him, the import of fertilizers was growing. “We need to increase domestic production. Instead of urea, the government is forcing farmers to buy and use nanourea. It is an atrocity (perpetrated) on farmers,” he said.
Posts in the Indian Army and other forces must be filled at the earliest, the Congress leader also said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Arun Singh opposed him, alleging that Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders were hoarding gas cylinders to create panic among the public. Iran has ensured safe passage for Indian ships and ships carrying petroleum products have started arriving at the Indian coast, Mr. Singh said.
Communist Party of India (CPI-M) Marxist MP John Brittas questioned the government’s silence on the war against Iran. It had an impact on the Indian economy, Mr Brittas said. “What would be the impact of this crisis on the economy? Is the finance minister who is introducing this bill aware of this?” he said.
The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Sanjay Singh, supporting Mr Gohil’s position that the current crisis was “self-inflicted”, said the government knew that 60% of the country’s oil and 50% of its gas supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz. “When over 60% of the strait comes under Iranian control, what was the point of having an unfavorable relationship with Iran?” said Mr. Singh.
If the conflict continued and trade routes were disrupted, exports would decline, said Communist Party of India (CPI) leader P. Sandosh Kumar. “This will have a direct impact on farmers, small manufacturers and workers, leading to unemployment, especially in the rural economy,” Kumar said.
Published – 16 March 2026 22:11 IST
