BJP blaming Iran-Israel war for everything, says Akhilesh; questions foreign policy
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday alleged that the BJP was blaming the Iran-Israel conflict for a range of domestic issues and said such claims were an attempt to hide policy failures.
Responding to a question on the impact of the West Asia situation on industries in Kanpur during a press conference here, Yadav said that the responsibility for the condition of industries lies with the BJP government.
"These people may now even say that the Ganga is not getting cleaned because of the war in West Asia," the former UP chief minister remarked.
He said the government was diverting attention from farmers' issues and bringing up unrelated matters.
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Referring to fertiliser shortages, he said that farmers had to stand in long queues and fertilisers were not available even earlier, and "now such shortages could be attributed to the Iran-Israel conflict".
He added that this was a failure of government policy and accused the BJP of shifting blame.
Yadav also said that potato farmers were not getting fair prices and alleged that the government might attribute this as well to the ongoing conflict.
On a question related to foreign policy and India's ties with the United States, Yadav said he would not like to comment in detail as his knowledge on the subject was limited, but noted that the influence of the US was visible in many areas.
"If one studies past speeches of leaders, including those from the opposition, after Independence, it would be clear what kind of foreign policy India should have pursued and how it has evolved over time," the leader of the third largest party in Lok Sabha noted.
Yadav also referred to discussions around foreign funding to NGOs and their possible influence on policies, but said these were "contentious issues" on which he would not like to comment further at present.
"Our immediate focus is on ensuring respect for PDA (Backward classes, Dalits and minorities), establishing the rule of social justice and removing the corrupt BJP from government," he said.
On a question related to claims about late night voting during polls in Andhra Pradesh in 2024 coming to light now, Yadav said that concerns had been raised about voting continuing late into the night in some instances.
"Our stance is clear on this matter. In several progressive and developed countries such as the United States, Germany, Japan and England, voting is done through ballots despite their advanced technological capabilities.
"In Germany, the use of electronic voting machines has even been considered unconstitutional," he said, and questioned the continued reliance on EVMs and VVPAT systems in India.
Yadav reiterated his party's stand in favour of returning to ballot voting, saying it would at least allow poorer voters to visibly express their choice.
"The poor cannot vent out their anguish against the government by just pressing the button of the EVM. Using the ballot stamp, they can properly vent out their anger," he said in a lighter vein.
On a separate question regarding student politics and demands for the revival of student unions in universities, Yadav said that if the Samajwadi Party forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, it would send delegations of students from universities in the state to reputed global institutions such as the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
"These delegations would observe student union systems and share their experiences, and students from those institutions would also be invited to Lucknow for conferences to exchange ideas," he added.
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No shortage of LPG, petrol or diesel in Kerala: Oil industry officials
Kochi (PTI): Oil industry officials said on Friday that there was no shortage of LPG, petrol or diesel in Kerala, with supplies continuing smoothly across the state.
Priority was being given to essential sectors, and the public has been urged not to panic buy as deliveries remain uninterrupted, they said in a statement here.
"The State Level Coordinator (SLC), Oil Industry – Kerala, on behalf of all Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), assures the public that there is adequate availability of LPG, Petrol, and Diesel across the state, and supply operations are being closely monitored and maintained without disruption," it said.
The statement said that domestic LPG cylinder stocks are adequately available, and deliveries are being carried out to customers as per their bookings.
"Stocks at LPG distributorships are continuously replenished by respective OMCs to ensure uninterrupted service. A booking interval restriction is currently in place as a regulatory measure to ensure equitable distribution among all consumers. Customers may be assured that their refills will be delivered to their residence," it said.
Officials said that the Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) has been made mandatory to ensure secure and verified delivery to registered customers.
"All customers are requested to cooperate by sharing the DAC at the time of delivery. Customers are also encouraged to book refills through digital platforms only and avoid visiting distributor showrooms for refill booking," the statement said.
For Non-Domestic (ND)/commercial LPG supplies, as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), and the Government of Kerala, 66 per cent of the average pre-crisis demand is being supplied overall, it said.
At the same time, 100 per cent supply is being ensured to essential sectors such as hospitals, hostels, crematoriums, schools, and old age homes, while 62 per cent supply is being provided to semi-essential and non-essential sectors.
"It is reiterated that customers need not panic, and Oil Marketing Companies remain committed to providing LPG refills through their distributor network in a smooth and timely manner," the statement said.
All the Oil Marketing Companies also assure that there are adequate stocks of Petrol and Diesel available at retail outlets as well as storage locations across the state of Kerala, it said.
"There are no reported instances of panic buying anywhere in the state. Stocks at retail outlets are being regularly monitored and replenished to ensure uninterrupted availability," the statement said.
