Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 11 (ANI): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Monday criticised the Centre following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent 'seven appeals' to counter the ongoing West Asia crisis and alleged that the government was planning to increase petrol prices.

Speaking to ANI, Elangovan said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure fuel availability and alleged that pressure from US President Donald Trump had led to the stoppage of crude oil purchases from Russia.

'The government's role is to provide petrol... They are planning to increase the prices... Under pressure from Trump, they have stopped the purchase of crude oil from Russia. That is the reason for this crisis,' Elangovan said.

The DMK leader also questioned suggestions related to work-from-home arrangements amid the situation. 'How can everybody work from home?' he asked.

This comes after the Prime Minister's recent appeal while addressing a gathering in Secunderabad on Sunday, urging citizens to prioritise work from home, cut fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, reduce cooking oil use, shift to natural farming and curb gold purchases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the need to reduce dependence on imports and said every household should cut down on edible oil consumption and move towards natural farming to help save foreign currency and protect the environment.

'The same is true for edible oil. We have to spend foreign currency on its import. If every household reduces the use of edible oil, it is a huge contribution to patriotism. This will improve the health of the national treasury and the health of every family member,' PM Modi said.

Highlighting the burden of fertiliser imports, the Prime Minister said India spends a significant amount of foreign exchange on importing chemical fertilisers and urged farmers to reduce their usage.

To combat the volatility of fuel prices, PM Modi urged a shift in how India moves. He urged citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption by using the metro and public transport wherever available, opting for car-pooling when private vehicles are necessary, preferring railway transport for the movement of goods, and increasing the use of electric vehicles wherever possible. (ANI)