The Propaganda State: No Oil Supply to Petrol Pumps That Do Not Display Pictures Of Prime Minister Narendra Modi

After the Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government sought from petrol pump workers sensitive information like caste, religion and constituency, it has now issued a ‘verbal advisory’ asking oil dealers to put up pictures of PM Modi at their petrol stations.

The dealers are being threatened with blocking of supplies if they do not comply with the orders, reported The Hindu.

S.S. Gogi, president, Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) told The Hindu, “They are asking us to display the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in retail outlets and those who refuse are threatened with blocking of supplies.”

Ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (BPCL) have ‘suggested’ that the dealers put up hoardings with PM Modi’s face, advertising the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

The dealers allege that the information hasn’t come via a written order, it is being conveyed by area officers who visit the retail outlets.

Earlier in June, the BJP government sought personal information like caste, religion and constituency of over 10 lakh employees working at petrol pump stations across the country. The petrol dealers are staging protests against the centre, claiming that such “data mining by the government is unconstitutional and an extreme breach of privacy.”

Also Read: Modi Govt Seeks Information Like Caste, Religion From Petrol Pump Workers; Workers Say Data Mining By Govt Unconstitutional And Breach Of Privacy