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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in Parliament urging people to prepare for the impacts of the West Asia war, accusing the Centre of outsourcing preparedness and failing to act despite repeated warnings.
In a post on X quoting the Prime Minister, CM Stalin wrote, "Preparedness cannot be outsourced to the people. Prepared for what -- leadership, or its absence? Prime Minister, who is supposed to prepare the Union Government or the people of the country? You say that just as we prepared for COVID-19, we must also be prepared for the impacts of the West Asia war." CM Stalin reminded PM Modi that on March 11, he had written to the Prime Minister seeking immediate steps, uninterrupted supply of LPG cylinders, rescue of Tamils stranded in Gulf countries, and revision of gas supply allocation limits for power stations. "As the war situation intensified and its impact became evident, I wrote to you on March 11 requesting three measures: to ensure the uninterrupted availability of LPG cylinders for all uses, to rescue Tamils stranded in Gulf countries, and to revise gas supply allocation limits for power stations. The following day, on March 12, opposition parties staged a protest in the Parliament complex to underscore the seriousness of the situation to the Union Government," he said. He further added that, with no response from the Centre, the on March 14, Tamil Nadu government, on its own, convened a high-level meeting and announced relief measures: "Without waiting for action from the Union Government, as a responsible State Government, we conducted a high-level consultation and announced several measures to tackle the gas shortage: a Rs 2 subsidy per unit for additional electricity consumption when food production units switch from LPG to electric stoves; subsidised loans for MSMEs to purchase electric stoves and heaters; and exemption for industries from obtaining TNPCB consent to use alternative fuels. To support farmers' livelihoods amid restaurant closures, vegetables and fruits could be sold without restrictions in 194 Uzhavar Sandhais (farmers' markets). At that time, I asked: 'What is the Union Government going to do to protect public welfare?' There was no response," CM Stalin added. On March 15, protests were held across Tamil Nadu condemning the BJP-led Centre for its "lack of foresight and preparedness". "We organized protests across Tamil Nadu condemning the Union BJP Government for its lack of foresight and preparedness. After all this, you are advising that "people must be prepared." Before telling people to be prepared, are you prepared to protect them? What precautionary measures have you taken to safeguard Indian citizens from the impacts of the West Asia war? Now the nation has only one question: "Is the Prime Minister prepared to protect us?," he added. His remarks come after PM Modi's address in the Lok Sabha on the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. In his speech, the PM highlighted the escalating conflict in West Asia, which has entered its fourth week, was posing significant challenges for India, particularly in terms of energy security and trade disruptions. "The situation in West Asia is worrisome. This conflict has been going on for more than three weeks. It has a severe impact on the global economy and the lives of the people, and that is why the world is urging all sides for an early resolution to this conflict," PM Modi said. He also cautioned that the ongoing conflict in West Asia is likely to have lasting effects even as he asserted that India's diplomatic role has been to urge for de-escalating tensions. The PM emphasised that dialogue and diplomacy were the only solutions to this problem. He said that the country must remain prepared for the lasting effects that are likely due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict. The Prime Minister also noted that nearly one crore Indians reside in Gulf countries, making the situation a matter of heightened concern. He said the government has taken steps to ensure the safety of Indian nationals, facilitate evacuations and maintain essential fuel supplies despite disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. He further stated that over 3.75 lakh Indian nationals have returned safely to the country, with at least 1,000 of them having been escorted from Iran. (ANI)
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