New Delhi : The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a sharp attack on the Central government over the US waiver to India to buy crude oil from Russia, amid the deepening Middle East Crisis. Gandhi said, “The foundation of every single nation is its energy security. Allowing the United States to decide who we buy oil from, who we buy gas from, and whether we can buy oil from Russia or not.
This is what has been bartered. Why would a nation the size of India allow any other nation, the President of another nation, to permit us to buy Russian oil? Gandhi first said. Adding further to his tally, Gandhi mentioned, “I have figured the puzzle out, and the puzzle is about compromise. We have a gentleman sitting here who is the oil minister.” He held Puri’s alleged association with Jeffrey Epstein responsible for the compromise that occurred in the oil-buying policy.
Puri said, “The world has not faced a moment like this in modern energy history. India’s crude supply position is secure, and the volume secured exceeds what the Hormuz would have delivered. Before the crisis, approximately 45% of India’s crude imports transited along the Strait of Hormuz route. Gandhi’s words did not go uninterrupted as chaos erupted soon over the mention of Epstein in the Lok Sabha.
There is no shortage of diesel, petrol or kerosene. Their availability is fully assured and supply chains across the country are functioning smoothly, the minister said. Puri added that the overall fuel supply position remains stable and comfortable, with inventories sufficient to meet demand across the country. The minister also addressed concerns around LPG availability, stating that domestic LPG supply remains fully protected, even amid global geopolitical tensions and disruptions in energy markets.
