Amid growing concerns over the impact of the West Asia conflict on India’s economy and fuel supply, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president and Rajya Sabha
MP Kamal Haasan on Friday backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for energy conservation, saying national interest must come before party politics. In a post on X along with a video message, Haasan said India has faced wars, shortages and global crises in the past and overcome them through unity and collective sacrifice. He said the ongoing Iran conflict could have a direct impact on fuel prices and the daily lives of ordinary Indians. “My dear fellow countrymen, today I speak to you as an Indian deeply concerned by the impact of the Iran War,” Haasan said in the video message. Referring to the global response to the crisis, the actor-politician said several countries have already started taking steps to reduce energy consumption. “In response, more than 60 countries have already imposed energy-saving rules. We recently heard Singapore's PM asking his people to prepare for tough times ahead. We are a much larger country, and our PM has asked us to save energy over the next year,” he said.
India has overcome wars, shortages, and global crises before - through unity and shared sacrifice. This moment calls for the same national spirit again. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/Mi56m0I4pD
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) May 22, 2026
Haasan said moments like these require political parties to put aside differences and work together for the country.
“In moments like this, national responsibility must rise above party politics. As Vajpayee ji famously said, governments will come and go, but the nation shall remain,” he added.
The MNM chief also praised the Modi government’s push for renewable energy and efforts to reduce India’s dependence on imported fuel.
“As a centrist, I must also acknowledge good work irrespective of my political alliances. Under the PM's leadership, India's solar and wind energy capacity has increased over the last decade. I'm encouraged by recent investments in coal gasification, renewable and nuclear energy. These are important steps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and gas,” he said.
At the same time, Haasan stressed that citizens alone should not bear the burden of rising fuel costs and economic uncertainty. He urged Prime Minister Modi to convene a meeting of all chief ministers to chalk out a coordinated response.
“State taxes like VAT on petrol and diesel should be reduced. Secondly, train, metro and bus fares should also be reduced so that more people can shift away from private vehicles,” he said.
He further warned that geopolitical tensions affect everyone, not just governments or businesses.
“Geopolitics will affect pedestrians on the street as much as the high-flying rich. But if we face this crisis together, India will and can emerge stronger,” Haasan added.
The remarks come at a time when India is closely monitoring the fallout of the Iran conflict, particularly its possible impact on global crude oil prices and domestic inflation.
