Kejriwal Blames LPG Crisis on Modi Government's Weak Foreign Policy Amid West Asia Turmoil
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New Delhi, March 11 (NationPress) Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), stated on Wednesday that India is currently facing significant challenges due to a severe shortage of LPG, which is expected to escalate amidst the ongoing crisis in West Asia. He attributed this predicament to the Modi government's "weak and flexible" foreign policy.
During a press conference in the capital, Kejriwal indicated that India's LPG production has plummeted by approximately 50%, with the ramifications being most pronounced in the commercial sector, as numerous restaurants are forced to shut down.
He held the government accountable for the LPG crisis, asserting that if the Modi administration had maintained India's long-standing stance of non-alignment and refrained from aligning too closely with the US and Israel during this conflict in West Asia, the situation might have been avoided. He pointed out that despite the significant blockade, oil shipments from Iran’s allied nations continue to traverse the Strait of Hormuz.
"A staggering 60% of the nation’s LPG reserves are imported, with 90% of that passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which is under the control of Iranian forces," he stated.
Kejriwal further elaborated that the restaurant and hospitality sectors are primarily suffering, with thousands of establishments on the verge of closure, jeopardizing countless jobs.
The former Chief Minister of Delhi also accused the government of succumbing to pressure from the United States, thereby neglecting India's own interests and displaying a lack of resolve in its foreign policy.
He noted that various officials from the Trump administration have made inappropriate and disrespectful comments regarding the Indian government and its Prime Minister without any restraint, leading to embarrassment for a nation of 1.4 billion people.
Kejriwal claimed that the Modi government has been following directives from the Trump administration, such as reducing duties on cotton and halting purchases of Russian oil under US pressure, which has had a detrimental impact on both the economy and job stability.
He expressed that the "weak" Prime Minister is being manipulated by the Trump administration, causing outrage among the 1.4 billion citizens over this perceived capitulation.
"India should not have to yield to the United States. The country’s foreign policy ought to prioritize its citizens and remain untainted by foreign influences," he demanded.