No petrol or diesel would be sold in Maharashtra for those 20 mins.
Petrol pumps across Maharashtra will shut down for 20 minutes on Wednesday evening as a show of homage and solidarity with the 40 paramilitary personnel killed in the Pulwama terror attack. No fuel will be sold, and petrol pumps would also be turning all their lights off as a mark of respect.
The 20-minute act of mourning has been called by the Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD). The industry body has appealed to its members to participate in the show of solidarity, news agency ANI reported.
"Today, from 7 pm to 7:30 pm, all petrol pumps in Maharashtra will remain closed, and no sale of petrol or diesel or any other fuel will be done. The lights of all petrol pumps will remain off during that 20 mins period," CIPD Maharashtra secretary Ravi Shinde told ANI.
The show of solidarity by petrol pumps comes as individuals and organisations from a cross section of society continue to express shock, outrage and grief over the ghastly attack, which was the worst against security forces in Kashmir in decades.
A suicide car bomber had driven his explosive-laden SUV into a security convoy in Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14. The attack had claimed the lives of 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad has twice claimed responsibility for the attack, even as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan went on air on Tuesday to claim his country had nothing to do with the attack.
The event has drawn condemnations from politicians across the political spectrum and from world leaders. The attack has also sparked outrage across India, with calls for revenge. There have also been calls for increased diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage for its funding and support of terrorist networks and organisations.
Among other things, there have also been calls for India to boycott playing Pakistan in the upcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, even if it means forfeiting the points from the match. BCCI sources have said they would be willing to boycott the match if the Indian government should make a decision to that effect.
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