Petroleum dealers' body asks fuel stations to close for 20 minutes to mourn Pulwama terror attack victims

The Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) has appealed to all its members to keep their petrol pumps and other fuel stations closed for 20 minutes as a mark of homage and solidarity for the CRPF jawans who lost their lives in Pulwama terror attack on 14 February, reported ANI.

Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) has appealed to its members to keep their petrol pumps & other fuel stations closed for 20 minutes as a mark of homage & solidarity for CRPF jawans who lost their lives in Pulwama attack

— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2019

CIPD secretary Ravi Shinde subsequently said that all petrol pumps in Maharashtra will remain closed from 7 to 7.30 pm and “no sell of petrol, diesel and any other fuel will be done”. Petrol station lights will also remain off during the period. According to a report by The Times of India, there are more than 500 stations in Mumbai Metropolitan Region alone. The Federation of All-Maharashtra Petrol Dealers’ Association president Uday Lodh was quoted saying that consumers have been requested to avoid refuelling their tanks at that time.  

Ravi Shinde, Secretary of CIPD, Maharashtra: Today from 7 pm to 7.30 pm, all petrol pumps in Maharashtra will remain closed and no sell of petrol/diesel or any other fuel will be done. The lights of all petrol pumps will remain off during that 20 mins period. https://t.co/e7eRwPEBkt

— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2019

Post Pulwama attack, individuals and social organisation across India have expressed shock, disgust and anger at the dastardly attack on the soldiers.

A suicide bomber had rammed his explosives-laden car into one of the buses in the CRPF convoy killing 42 jawans. Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, in the meanwhile, claimed that his country has nothing to do with the attack, asking India to provide “actionable intelligence” to act against terrorist activities.

There have also been calls to boycott all things Pakistani, including the call to BCCI to not to play Pakistan  in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup. The Cricket Club of India, state cricket associations of Punjab and Rajasthan, as well as the Karnataka State Cricket Association have pulled down portraits of Pakistani cricketers in protest.