New Delhi, March 27 The Congress on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over India's increasing dependence on crude oil, LPG, and natural gas imports.
"The 'gas grandly promised' by Mr. Modi has remained just that – gas," Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said on X, pointing to India's dependence on natural gas imports.
"Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, India's dependence on crude oil imports increased from 84% to 90%. Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, India's dependence on LPG imports increased from 46% to 62%," Ramesh said, adding that "all this happened while the goal was supposed to be 'Atmanirbharta,' or self-reliance."
He claimed the natural gas story is more complex.
"On June 26, 2005, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat (Modi) boasted that the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation had discovered India's largest gas reserve in the deep waters of the Krishna-Godavari river basin. Mr. Modi announced that this would make India energy independent," Ramesh said.
He claimed that five CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) reports between 2011 and 2016 revealed that this was a "Rs 20,000 crore scam, which was subsequently covered up by the prime minister, forcing the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation to merge with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in August 2017."
The Congress leader's remarks come amid reports of panic buying and long queues at petrol pumps and LPG distributors. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, for the first time since the war in West Asia broke out, released stock details of crude oil, fuel, and LPG as it rushed to calm nerves.
India has about 60 days of oil stock cover and has arranged one full month of LPG supply, the government said on Thursday, adding that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG, calling reports of shortages a "deliberate misinformation campaign" aimed at triggering panic buying.
Meanwhile, state-owned oil marketing companies also said there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and supplies remain stable.
In a statement, the ministry said that all petrol pumps across the country are adequately stocked and operating normally, with no rationing of petrol or diesel.