India petrol, diesel live updates | PM Modi to meet CMs over West Asia war; Akhilesh says ‘told you to be ready’

INdian undercoat government minister Narendra Modi testament be holding an online get together with chief ministers of states and UTs — blackball those going to polls soon — on Friday as fears mount around a reported fuel “crisis” and related issues in the country, triggered by the widening conflict in West Asia after the US and Israel attacked Iran four weeks ago.The government and oil companies have said India has about 60 days of oil stock cover, and has arranged one full month of LPG supply. The government said on Thursday that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG, calling reports of shortages as a "deliberate misinformation campaign" aimed at triggering panic buying. The Opposition led by the Congress had disputed these claims. Rahul Gandhi even spoke of Modi's foreign policy “being seen as a universal joke”.There are also rising online searches about a possible “lockdown” in India, a claim being made mainly on social media suggesting that PM Narendra Modi hinted at a “Covid-style lockdown” while addressing Parliament on the ongoing West Asia crisis. A closer look at his speeches in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha shows that the claim is misleading.The ‘lockdown’ claimSpeculation intensified after the government announced an all-party meeting to discuss the crisis and its implications for India’s economy and supply chains. Several posts and online discussions suggested that Modi referred to the possibility of a lockdown while speaking about the global impact of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.This triggered searches such as “India lockdown again”, “lockdown news”, and “Is lockdown coming back in India?” across the internet.What PM Modi actually saidIn his speeches in the two Houses of Parliament earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra did refer to the Covid-19 pandemic, but only as an example of how the country handled a global crisis.Modi said India had previously navigated disruptions during the Covid period and emphasised the importance of national unity during difficult times.He urged citizens to remain “prepared and united, just as it had stood together during the COVID-19 pandemic". He warned that global disruptions caused by the war could have long-term economic consequences."As we can see, the situation regarding this war is changing moment by moment. Therefore, I would also say to my fellow citizens that we must be prepared for every challenge. There is a strong possibility that the adverse effects of this war will last for a long time. But I assure the people of the country that the government is alert, ready, and working with full seriousness on strategy, taking every necessary decision," PM Modi said.However, the word “lockdown” was not used in either speech.Key factsThe speculation about a possible lockdown appears to have been driven by a combination of factors: Ongoing disruptions in global supply chains due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia; concerns about oil and gas supply through the Strait of Hormuz; reports of restrictions on LPG supply and fuel-saving measures in some countries; and public memories of the nationwide lockdown imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic.These developments revived memories of pandemic-era restrictions, leading many people to assume that the government might be preparing for similar measures.As for the current situation, India apparently does not face any Covid-related emergency that would warrant a lockdown. The country currently has very few active Covid cases and the public health situation remains under control. The war-related crisis is seeing other measures.The government’s focus has been on mitigating the economic and supply-chain impact of the West Asia conflict, particularly disruptions to oil, gas and fertiliser shipments.Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not mention a lockdown in his recent Parliament speeches. He referred to the Covid-19 period only to highlight how the country faced earlier global disruptions with unity and preparedness.