Lucknow, March 29 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that while many countries around the world have declared a "state of emergency" due to the crisis in the Middle East, India is moving forward with full strength due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "visionary" leadership.
"The Gulf War has created an atmosphere of instability. Many countries have started reducing working hours and wages because their economies are failing. In the United States, which is less dependent on the Gulf countries, the prices of petroleum products are skyrocketing.
"The situation is bad in countries around India, such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia," Adityanath claimed.
India is the only country in the world that is moving forward with full capability, and "this is because it possesses a visionary leader in Modi," Adityanath said.
"Prime Minister Modi has not only ensured a smooth supply chain, but also managed to control the prices of petroleum products by reducing the excise duty on them, thereby providing relief to 145 crore citizens," Adityanath said, allaying concerns over shortages in fuel supply.
"As far as public affairs are concerned, there is absolutely no disruption of any kind; everything is proceeding smoothly," he claimed, underscoring the need to stand with the nation's leadership at this critical juncture.
Attacking the Samajwadi Party without taking its name, Adityanath claimed that it did nothing for any section of society, but now that the public has ousted it from power, it is engaging in a campaign of "malicious propaganda" and "rumour-mongering" to mislead society.
"We must remain alert, because in times of crisis, spreading rumours to sow disorder constitutes a form of sedition. Any act of sedition must not be tolerated under any circumstances. It is the duty of every patriotic citizen to refute rumours and counter those who are spreading them to create panic," Adityanath said.
"Some people are claiming that a 14 kg gas cylinder contains only 4 kg of gas, while some are spreading rumours of a lockdown. All this is nonsense. There is no disruption in public service; everything is functioning normally.
"People should not pay attention to rumours and instead follow the country's leadership. If a gas cylinder lasts 25 days, why should people stand in line on the seventh day? If a vehicle has enough fuel for four days, why refill it unnecessarily? People should not fall prey to rumours," Adityanath said.
He also said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Modi worked tirelessly.
"Therefore, people should not fall into the trap of rumour-mongers," Adityanath said.