Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 20 (ANI): AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of siding with the United States and Israel in the West Asia conflict.

Amid reported LPG shortage in the country due to the hampering of trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz, Owaisi slammed the Centre over import dependence for oil and gas.

Addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad, the AIMIM leader asked PM Modi to be neutral amid the conflict.

Questioning PM Modi's Israel visit on February 25-26, just before the West Asia conflict with US-Israeli strikes at Iran on February 28, Owaisi said, 'America and Zionist - Trump and Netanyahu, want to destroy Iran like Gaza. If someone says that this would stop at the destruction of Iran, they should know that Turkiye would be next. The entire Arab nation would be next. May Allah end this war. Our Prime Minister Modi's friend, Netanyahu, invited him there. He went there. Why? He then said that he didn't know that this would happen. You need not be a rocket scientist. You went there, knowing fully well that there would indeed be an attack. As soon as you left, an attack was launched.'

'Now, there is an LPG shortage. We call ourselves Aatamanirbhar Bharat, Made in India, but import 60 per cent of the gas. Oil and gas come through the Strait of Hormuz. But the government here says that there is no shortage. I had been saying from the beginning that we were neither with Iran nor the Arab countries, we were with everyone. We considered the Palestinians' cause our own cause. What did PM Modi do? He deposited himself in the corner of Trump and Netanyahu. Had you been neutral, perhaps there would have been weight in your words,' he added.

He asked the Indian government to openly condemn the US and Israel for their attacks on Iran.

He said, 'Say it openly that this war is wrong. If you do not have any affinity for Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, speak up at least for those people of India who work in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. 50 per cent of the foreign exchange of this country is earned by them. If their economy weakens, our people will return. Think about them. BJP-RSS, what is the reason that you have no affinity for the people who leave their homes to earn a livelihood and send back to their country? But you want to be close to Trump and Netanyahu.'

Further slamming the BJP and RSS over the alleged shortage of fuel and gas in the country, he added, 'You did not think about them when school children were killed. But when there is a gas shortage in your country now, you are saying that there should indeed be a gas supply and war should end...BJP-RSS people make tall claims...But we have just 9.5 days of SPR, Strategic Petroleum Reserve...If you club OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies), it is 74 days. Speak on this. But you won't. You will go and watch a movie. After watching the movie, they made the viewers take a pledge that they won't make any purchases from Muslims. Why are you purchasing oil then? Why are you purchasing gas?'

Slamming Israel over the Gaza conflict, he said that the people who caused the bloodshed of Muslims will be brought to justice.

'If someone says that there won't be 'Qayamat' (Day of Judgment), Palestinians will cry out loud and say that justice should be done. Indeed, there will be 'Qayamat'. The cruel people who caused the bloodshed of Muslims, justice will be done on the Day of Judgment,' the AIMIM chief said.

Meanwhile, today, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sujata Sharma, highlighted an improvement in the LPG crisis, saying, 'There is no panic booking now. Only 55 lakh LPG booking reported yesterday.'

Reassuring consumers, Sharma also said that there is no shortage of supply across the country. 'There is adequate stock available, no outlets are dry out,' she stated.

However, she acknowledged that concerns still remain. 'LPG issue is still worrisome,' she said.

The prices of industrial diesel have also increased by 25 per cent from Rs 87.67/ltr to Rs 109.59/ltr.

This comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, with both sides engaged in an escalating conflict marked by missile exchanges and military operations since February 28. (ANI)