Bhildi, Oct 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused some people of attempting to create panic in the country by spreading rumours about shortages of fertilisers and cooking gas amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran and countries in the Gulf region, claiming that the government had ensured uninterrupted fertiliser supplies to farmers despite rising international prices.
Addressing a gathering in Bhildi in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, PM Modi said India was collectively dealing with the international situation, but alleged that some groups were trying to create confusion and public anxiety.
“When the country faces a crisis, some people seem to be happy. The latest example is the war involving Iran and the Gulf region. While India is united in dealing with the situation, these people have been spreading rumours,” he said.
PM Modi alleged that farmers had been made to fear that fertilisers would not be available and that artificial queues had been created.
He also accused these groups of spreading fears among women that cooking gas would run out, making it difficult for families to cook food or send their children to school.
“Their plan was to create chaos in the country so that they could defame Modi,” he said.
The Prime Minister said he had assured farmers that the government would stand firmly with them and claimed that, despite the conflict continuing, it had not allowed farmers to face a shortage of fertilisers.
Explaining the impact of the conflict on international markets, PM Modi said: “The prices of fertilisers and the chemicals used in their production had risen sharply. The government had absorbed the additional cost rather than passing it on to farmers.”
He added, “A bag of urea that costs around Rs 3,000 in the international market was being made available to Indian farmers for less than Rs 300.”
Similarly, while the international price of a bag of diammonium phosphate (DAP) had crossed Rs 5,000, farmers in India were getting it for Rs 1,350. “The government is bearing this entire burden so that our farmers remain strong and their lives improve,” he said.
PM Modi said India’s continued development amid global uncertainty was a source of hope for the world and called for national unity as the country pursued its development goals.
He also urged people, particularly the youth, to participate in the Run for Unity on October 31 to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
“The annual Ekta Parv at Ekta Nagar, which is usually held in the morning, would be organised in the evening this year, with the programme scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m,” he noted.
The Prime Minister is in Gujarat on a two-day visit during which he launched and dedicated development projects worth more than Rs 14,000 crore in Banaskantha.
–IANS
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