Sharad Pawar urges PM Modi to convene an all-party meeting over Gulf situation, calls for collective responsibility
Pune, May 14
NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday expressed concern over the worsening situation in Gulf countries and said it could have consequences for India, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an all-party meeting on the issue.
Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar said the country must collectively prepare to deal with any possible economic impact arising out of the crisis in West Asia.
The situation in the Gulf countries is quite serious, and it could have certain consequences for India as well. Recently, the Prime Minister also appealed to the people on this issue.
"The situation in the Gulf countries is quite serious, and it could have certain consequences for India as well. Recently, the Prime Minister also appealed to the people on this issue. Therefore, I have requested the Prime Minister that the government should convene an all-party meeting... This time, I hope the Prime Minister will personally attend... Since morning, I have been watching TV, where I saw that some people are travelling by motorcycle while others are coming on foot. Someone said, 'I am a minister, I have reduced the number of vehicles in my convoy from 17 vehicles to 8.' I fail to understand why there were 17 vehicles in the first place. I believe everyone needs to look at such matters more seriously. But for now, it is important that the situation does not worsen further and that the country's economy is not affected too severely. So everyone should cooperate", he said.
On Sunday, PM Modi urged citizens to prioritise work from home, cut fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, reduce cooking oil use, shift to natural farming and curb gold purchases, while addressing a gathering in Secunderabad.
To combat the volatility of fuel prices, PM Modi urged a shift in how India moves. He requested citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using the metro and public transport wherever available, opting for carpooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for the movement of goods, and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible.
Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeals, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ordered curbs on the official vehicles used by ministers, MLAs and other public representatives. The step has been taken in alignment with the message of PM Modi.
She also urged residents of Delhi to adopt car pooling or to use public transport.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Pawar ji raising valid concerns, but let's be honest—everyone from ministers to common people needs to step up. PM Modi's suggestions are good: work from home, use public transport, reduce oil consumption. But implementing it in a country where metro isn't available everywhere is tough. Delhi CM's decision is a start, but hope other states follow. Now is not the time for political games; we need collective effort. 🤞
Interesting to see Indian leaders actually talking about collective responsibility. Back in the US, we'd have partisan bickering for months before any action. Sharad Pawar's point about ministers having 17-vehicle convoys is spot on—that's absurd waste. The PM's suggestion to work from home and use public transport is smart, but it requires infrastructure that many cities lack. Let's hope this crisis leads to some real reforms.
Pawar sahab's request is timely. The Gulf crisis directly affects our remittances and oil prices. But the PM had already appealed on Sunday—why didn't the opposition support him then? Now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. All-party meetings are fine, but we need concrete steps, not just talks. Reducing cooking oil use and foreign travel is good, but should have been done long ago. Let's hope the government also looks at long-term solutions like boosting domestic production.
Watching from abroad, this is actually impressive—leaders from different parties calling for unity. The Gulf situation is volatile, and India has deep ties there. PM Modi's appeal to reduce consumption is logical, but the suggestion about gold purchases seems odd—is that a major issue? Anyway, collective responsibility is always better than finger-pointing. Hope this crisis brings out the best in Indian leadership.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.