Petrol pumps to remain closed on Sundays? Truth behind viral claim after PM Modi’s austerity call | Fact Check

In the aftermath of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationwide appeal to conserve fuel, a viral claim allegedly made by the Indian Petroleum Dealers Executive Committee is spreading rapidly on social media. The announcement states that the committee has decided to keep petrol pumps closed every Sunday in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Maharashtra, and Haryana. The post has come to the attention of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), which has verified the authenticity of the claim.

According to PIB’s fact-check unit, the entire claim is fake. PIB has urged users to beware of such misinformation and refrain from sharing any content without verifying the source.

PM Modi's appeal to cut down fuel use

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged citizens to cut down on fuel consumption, prefer public transport and avoid unnecessary foreign travel amid the ongoing economic and energy challenges. Stressing the need to conserve foreign exchange, he also called for greater use of work from home, video conferencing and carpooling practices.

He said, "use petrol and diesel judiciously and reduce unnecessary fuel consumption. In cities with metro connectivity, people should prefer public transport. If travelling by car is unavoidable, carpooling should be encouraged instead of driving alone."

"There is also a need to revive practices such as work from home, video conferencing and online meetings. Amid the current crisis, conserving foreign exchange must remain a priority," PM Modi said, adding, "the trend of destination weddings and foreign vacations among the middle class has also been rising. During this period, overseas travel should be avoided or postponed for at least a year."

On the impact of West Asia conflict, he said, "when the supply chain continues to be in crisis, no matter what measures we take, the difficulties only increase. Therefore, now we must fight unitedly, keeping the country and Mother India first. We must remember that patriotism is not just about dying for the country. Living for the country and fulfilling our duties to the country is also patriotism."