On March 23, PM Modi delivered a speech in the Lok Sabha. At 2:24 in the speech, he referred to the old COVID-19 situation and urged the country to stay prepared. From there, people started drawing their own conclusions. Everyone began linking his words to a potential lockdown. But what did Prime Minister Modi actually say? Listen first before jumping to conclusions.
“Mr. Speaker, the difficult global situation caused by the war is expected to have long-lasting effects. Therefore, we must remain prepared.
We must stay united. Even during the COVID-19 period, we faced challenges together with solidarity. Now, once again, we need to be prepared in the same way — with patience, restraint, and a calm mind, confronting every challenge. This is our identity, and this is our strength.
And yes, we must also remain very careful and alert. Some will try to spread falsehoods to take advantage of the situation. We must not allow such attempts to succeed.
I also urge all state governments through this House: in such times, black-marketing and hoarding become more active. Strict monitoring is essential. Wherever such complaints arise, prompt action should be taken.
When every government and every citizen of the country works together, we can confront every challenge successfully.”
After the statement, people on social media started sharing their own interpretations — some true, some false. The big question circulating was: will there be a lockdown in the country due to petrol and diesel shortages?
This triggered panic buying, with people rushing to stock up on supplies out of fear. On social media, L. Venkat Ram Reddy posted a message along with a video claiming that petrol pumps in Hyderabad were running low. He wrote that the three oil marketing companies — Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Indian Oil Corporation Limited — were primarily responsible for the shortage in Hyderabad.
He added that the recent fuel crisis was not caused by external factors like the Iran war or lockdown rumors, but due to disputes between oil companies and petrol pump owners.
Another video shared by Congress leader Supriya Srinath showed people filling petrol and diesel into tanks, cookers, and pots. While the authenticity of these videos cannot be verified, if true, forced stockpiling by panic buyers is causing inconvenience to ordinary citizens, and the government needs to address it.
Amid these shortage rumors, petrol companies issued statements clarifying the situation. Indian Oil Corporation Limited posted that there is no shortage of petrol or diesel. They said that the rumors on social media are creating unnecessary panic and affecting the normal supply pattern. Indian Oil outlets are fully operational with sufficient stock. They appealed to citizens not to buy in panic and to rely only on verified information. Bharat Petroleum made a similar appeal.
So, what caused the term “lockdown” to start trending this time? It was largely fear-driven panic buying. If people continue collecting petrol and diesel in containers, the situation could worsen, which is why timely action by government authorities is necessary.
