BJP slams Pawar for dubbing death threat to PM a ploy to garner sympathy
New Delhi, June 11: The BJP on Monday slammed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar for raising doubts on the veracity of the death threat letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and dubbed his remarks over the issue a "new low in insensitivity".
"If the Prime Minister gets a death threat, the entire country should condemn it in one voice. This country has lost two Prime Ministers. Both were victims of violence. Even though they (Congress and opposition parties) are not understanding the sensitivity," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.
He said that if a senior leader like Sharad Pawar describes the threat as a ploy to garner sympathy, "it is new low in insensitivity" in politics.
"This is a serious threat. They have divulged their plan how to kill the Prime Minister... Where he can be attacked, how can a road show be targeted.
"Rather than questioning those who wrote this letter, they are questioning the letter coming to the fore. The Prime Minister is a keepsake (amaanat) of the nation. Even if a Leader of Opposition gets such death treats, the government takes it seriously."
At such times, parties should do politics seriously, he said. "If they do such kind of politics, it is bad for democracy."
Addressing a party rally in Pune on Sunday, Pawar said: "The BJP has realised that they are losing popular support. In order to gain sympathy, the BJP is now playing the threat letter card. However, I am sure that the people will not fall prey to such tactics.
"I have spoken to a senior retired police officer who told me that when such letters come they do not go to the media but to security agencies which make sure that adequate security measures are taken."
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Middle East crisis: Oil prices cross $83 per barrel as Strait of Hormuz disruption hits supply
New Delhi: Global crude oil prices rose sharply on Thursday, crossing $83 per barrel, following Iran’s move to shut down the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Oil prices have increased by more than 2 per cent due to concerns over supply disruptions in the region, which is a key route for global energy shipments.
A sustained rise in crude prices could significantly affect India’s import bill. Government estimates indicate that an increase of $1 per barrel in crude oil prices for a full year could raise India’s import bill by around Rs 16,000 crore.
However, government sources said India remains in a relatively comfortable position in the short term. The country currently has crude oil reserves sufficient for about 25 days, along with an additional 25 days’ supply of petroleum products, including shipments already in transit to Indian ports.
India imports nearly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements from the Middle East, with much of the supply traditionally passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes.
Officials said India has strengthened its energy security in recent years by diversifying its sources of crude oil imports. Supplies have increasingly been sourced from countries such as Russia, African nations and the United States, reducing dependence on Gulf routes.
As a result, a portion of India’s oil imports now bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.
India spent about $137 billion on crude oil imports in the financial year ending March 31, 2025. In the current financial year, from April 2025 to January 2026, the country spent approximately $100.4 billion to import 206.3 million tonnes of crude oil.
