Narendra Modi Assures in Lok Sabha: No Shortage of Petrol or Diesel Despite West Asia Crisis
During the Budget Session of Parliament, Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha and presented the government’s stance on the ongoing crisis in West Asia, while also reassuring the country about the situation. Meanwhile, during discussions on the Finance Bill, opposition parties criticized the government over tax concessions provided to corporations. In addition, tributes were paid to martyrs in both Houses of Parliament, and an important bill related to corporate laws was also introduced.
The second phase of the Budget Session of the Parliament of India is currently underway. On Monday, Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha and spoke about the situation in West Asia. Meanwhile, both Houses of Parliament paid tributes to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru on their martyrdom day. As the Lok Sabha session began, Speaker Om Birla remembered the sacrifices of the three revolutionaries, stating that their courage, bravery, and patriotism laid the foundation of a free and strong nation. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan also paid tribute, saying that the freedom and independence enjoyed by citizens today are largely due to the sacrifices of such freedom fighters. During the session, members also raised the demand for establishing a transparent regulatory system to control annual fee hikes in private schools.
Proceedings in the Lok Sabha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the ongoing conflict in West Asia has created several unexpected challenges for India, but the government is alert and fully prepared to deal with the situation. He assured the House that the government is taking steps to ensure there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG in the country and that citizens do not face difficulties. The Prime Minister informed the House that India currently holds about 5.3 million metric tonnes of strategic petroleum reserves. He also highlighted that over the past decade, the government has taken several steps to protect farmers during global crises, including ensuring adequate availability of fertilizers, establishing urea plants, and increasing domestic production of fertilizers such as DAP and NPK.
During the discussion on the Finance Bill 2026, Amar Singh from the Indian National Congress criticized the National Democratic Alliance government for offering tax concessions to corporations. He claimed that private companies are currently paying less tax than ordinary citizens and argued that several concessions in the bill appear to benefit large corporations. He also mentioned that special concessions have been given to GIFT City, which includes large financial and technology companies, without imposing sufficient conditions.
Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, said in the Lok Sabha that if Members of Parliament from Punjab formally request it, he would order a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the alleged suicide of an official of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation. The issue was raised during Zero Hour by Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to amend the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 and the Companies Act, 2013. After its introduction, the House decided to refer the bill to a joint parliamentary committee for further examination.
Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary clarified that the central government is not imposing Hindi or any other language on states under the National Education Policy. He made this clarification while responding to a supplementary question raised by Kalanidhi Veeraswamy of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam during Question Hour.
Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh raised concerns about India’s data security, referring to the country’s association with the US-led strategic alliance known as Pax Silica. During Zero Hour, he urged the government to clarify whether the agreement could affect the data privacy of Indian citizens and limit the country’s independent policy-making capacity.
Raghav Chadha of the Aam Aadmi Party demanded that unused mobile data provided in daily telecom plans should be allowed to be carried forward for later use. Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, he said it is not only about data usage but also about protecting consumer rights.
Former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda, speaking during the discussion on supplementary demands for grants, described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “mature political leader.” He recalled that after the 2014 general election, he had initially planned to resign but reconsidered his decision following Modi’s request. Deve Gowda also noted that the Prime Minister has emphasized that economic development is key to increasing consumption in the country.