New Delhi [India], March 24 : Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the Opposition was not allowed to seek clarifications over the West Asia conflict after his address in the Rajya Sabha.
Following his statement in Lok Sabha on Monday, PM Modi addressed Rajya Sabha today, calling for a united voice promoting peace and dialogue globally, as the ongoing West Asia conflict disrupts trade, energy supplies, and affects the safety of millions of Indians in the Gulf region.
In an X post, Jairam Ramesh called the Prime Minister's address a "pre-prepared text brimming with self-praise."
Ramesh said, "The Prime Minister spoke in the Rajya Sabha for about 20 minutes this afternoon on West Asia. Just like his statement in the Lok Sabha yesterday, after reading out his statement in the Rajya Sabha as well, the opposition was not allowed to seek any clarification whatsoever. As expected, it was a pre-prepared text brimming with self-praise over all its so-called achievements of the past eleven years."
Flagging "weakening of MGNREGA" with the Viksit Bharat--Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) scheme, he added, "Some hypocrisy was also on display, when he appealed for cooperation from those states whose constitutional rights are being continuously violated; when he asked the states to protect migrant workers after weakening MGNREGA, which proved to be a lifeline for migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic; and when he asked the states to implement the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which is based on the 2013 National Food Security Act that he had opposed while serving as Chief Minister."
Earlier today, PM Modi said that India has sufficient crude oil reserves and robust arrangements for continuous supply amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. He highlighted the expansion of strategic petroleum reserves and increased refining capacity, as global trade through the Strait of Hormuz faces disruptions.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha, PM Modi said, "In the last 11 years, strategic petroleum reserves have been developed to more than 53 lakh metric tonnes, and work is underway to expand them to over 65 lakh metric tonnes. Additionally, India's refining capacity has also been significantly increased in the last decade. I want to assure the House and the country through you that India has adequate crude oil storage and arrangements for continuous supply."
"The Hormuz Strait is one of the largest routes for global trade. A significant amount of transport related to crude oil, gas, and fertilisers takes place through this region. Our endeavour is to ensure that oil and gas supplies reach India from wherever possible. The country is witnessing the results of such efforts. In the past few days, ships carrying crude oil and LPG from several countries have arrived in India. Our efforts in this direction will continue in the coming days as well," PM Modi said.
This comes in the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has entered its fourth week, disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on February 28.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets across several Gulf countries, causing further disruptions to the waterway and impacting international energy markets as well as global economic stability.
Meanwhile, today, Arab News has cited Israeli Media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth to report that Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was prepared to negotiate with the Americans.