New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday claimed that the Indian government has 'failed' to ensure fuel and fertiliser security for the nation and tried to deflect it through 'delimitation theatrics'.

Sharing media reports, Kharge said that India's fuel production has gone down and its import diversification has failed, while 14 Indian-flagged vessels remain stranded at the Strait of Hormuz.

'PM Modi Govt tried to deflect its failures, and serious Epstein file allegations, through delimitation theatrics, but India saw through the charade. The BJP has scored a DOUBLE 'F' in ensuring Fuel & Fertilizer security for the nation,' Kharge said in a post on X.

'Production down, Import diversification fails, our ships in the Strait of Hormuz are unable to secure safe passage. 14 Indian-flagged vessels remain stranded there for 54 days. India's crude oil production has been falling for the 11th consecutive year in 2025-26, all thanks to the Modi Govt. Overall crude production has collapsed by nearly 22% since 2014-15,' he added.

https://x.com/kharge/status/2047233485447077891

He further stated that India's overall crude production has collapsed by nearly 22% since 2014-15, while 'Gas output has suffered an even more shocking decline of around 40%, falling from 47,555 MMSCM in 2011-12 to just 28,672 MMSCM in 2020-21.

Speaking about the country's stock of fertilisers, Kharge said, 'Even before geopolitical disruptions, fertiliser shortages were already being reported across multiple seasons. Indian farmers suffer painfully from the consequences of the BJP's apathy!'

He claimed that the fertiliser production has now fallen to a 5-year low in March 2026, with a massive 24.6% year-on-year drop.

'China has already restricted specialised fertilisers in July 2025, but the Modi Govt did not bother to diversify imports. Russia has also now halted fertiliser exports,' he said.

Taking a dig at PM Modi, Kharge said, 'Perhaps PM Modi should heed to his own Mardarshak Mandal member, Shri Murli Manohar Joshi, who recently said that we should not use the rhetoric of 'Vishwaguru' anymore!'

Earlier, Kharge sparked a controversy on the last day of Tamil Nadu election campaigning, when the Congress President criticised the AIADMK for supporting the BJP and labelled PM Modi a 'terrorist who does not believe in equality.'

When questioned on the choice of words, Kharge quickly defended himself, claiming that he meant to say that the PM was terrorising his political opponents.

'He (PM Modi) is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist...What I mean, I want to clarify, is that Modi always threatens. The institutions like ED, I-T and CBI are in his hands. He wants to take delimitation also into his hands,' Kharge said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a stern 24-hour ultimatum to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, demanding an explanation for his controversial remark directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the high-decibel Tamil Nadu Assembly election campaign. (ANI)