Rumours of a lockdown in India are completely false, said Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday, “clearly stating” that the government was considering no such proposal. Amid an ongoing global crisis, the government urged people to remain calm and said that spreading rumours at a time like this was “irresponsible and harmful”.
Puri’s clarification to widespread speculation of lockdown came shortly after the government announced a cut in excise duties on petrol and diesel amid global energy supply disruptions due to the ongoing Iran-US war.
He said in a post on X that global situation remains in flux, and “we are closely monitoring developments across energy, supply chains, and essential commodities on a real-time basis.” Under the leadership of PM Modi, all necessary steps are being taken to ensure uninterrupted availability of fuel, energy, and other critical supplies for our citizens, Puri said.
We are fully prepared to handle emerging challenges, he added. “India has consistently demonstrated resilience in the face of global uncertainties, and we will continue to act in a timely, proactive, and coordinated manner,” he said.
Lockdown rumours after PM Modi’s speech
India saw a country-wide lockdown in 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic was declared. Speculation of a similar lockdown emerged yet again after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech in Parliament in which he addressed the ongoing crisis in West Asia due to the ongoing Iran-US war.
Several posts claimed that PM Modi was hinting at the possibility of a lockdown and the buzz triggered searches like “Is lockdown coming back to India” and “India lockdown news”.
However, while the Prime Minister did refer to the Covid-19 pandemic during his speech, it was only to point out to how India tackled a global crisis. He did urge people to remain “prepared and united, just as it had stood together during the COVID-19 pandemic,” but never even mentioned the term “lockdown” during his address.
The confusion seems to have spread due to the ongoing LPG supply concerns and fuel-saving measures in some countries.
On March 24, the day the government’s lockdown announcement completed six years, buzz of another such situation gained steam in India, even though the country faces no major threat from the coronavirus anymore.
Excise duty cut on petrol and diesel
In a big reprieve for Indians amid concerns of a spike in fuel prices, the government on Friday announced that the central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption has been reduced by ₹10 per litre each.
Furthermore, export duties of ₹21.5 per litre on diesel and ₹29.5 per litre on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) have been imposed to ensure their adequate availability, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
“This will provide protection to consumers from rise in prices. Hon. PM @narendramodi has always ensured that citizens are protected from vagaries of supply and costs of essential goods,” Sitharaman wrote on X, adding that the Parliament has been apprised about these changes.
