Overview
- On May 22 Kamal Haasan posted a video endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plea for energy conservation and appealed for politics to be set aside in the national interest.
- Haasan asked Modi to convene a national summit of all chief ministers to coordinate centre‑state action on the energy and price shock.
- He proposed immediate steps that require state decisions: reduce VAT on petrol and diesel and cut fares for trains, metros and buses to encourage a shift from private vehicles.
- He praised recent investments in solar, wind, nuclear power and coal gasification as longer‑term ways to reduce dependence on imported oil and urged the film industry to curb avoidable foreign travel.
- There is no reported central or state response yet and any VAT cuts would affect state revenues, so the next developments to watch are whether states agree to a summit or move to lower fuel levies and fares.