Petrol Pump Dealers Say Oil Co's forcing them to display Modi's Image at Outlets

New Delhi: Petrol pump owners complain that they are being forced by state owned oil companies to exhibit banners of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dealers running petrol pumps say oil companies like Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) are threatening to stop supplies if they do not display PM Modi's photographs at their pumps.

As per a report in The Hindu, Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) has received a verbal advisory from oil marketing companies asking them to arrange the display of PM Modi's images ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

“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,” the report quoted CIPD President SS Gogi as saying.

This comes days after CIPD had refused to share personal data of its employees with oil companies. Oil companies had reportedly sought biographical details, marital status, mobile number, name of father/guardian, Aadhaar number, religion, caste among other details.