Food Minister Pralhad Joshi asks people not to pay heed to rumours about hoarding essential items amid Indo-Pak tensions

Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday urged people not to pay heed to rumours about the need to hoard essential items, saying the country has more than enough stock of all essential goods. In a post on X, Joshi said, "In certain parts of the country, rumours are spreading, causing people to rush to collect essential food items and other daily necessities".

The minister categorically said, "We have more than enough stock of everything required across the country".

"Our stock is many times larger than what is needed, and there is absolutely no reason for anyone to rush to the markets in any part of the country," the minister asserted.



Joshi said there is no shortage whatsoever and no one should give any value to such rumours.

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, many states have announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and the cancellation of leave for police personnel and administration officials.

India on Thursday said it foiled Pakistan military's attempts to target military installations in 15 cities in the northern and western parts of the country using missiles and drones as tensions between the two neighbours mounted amid fears of a wider conflict.

Sources in the defence and security establishment said the S-400 missile defence systems, surface-to-air missiles and the integrated counter-unmanned aircraft system were used in thwarting the Pakistani attempts.

In its response this morning, India launched kamikaze drones and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore.