Congress slams govt over LPG shortage, says it's misleading nation

Congress MP K Suresh accused the govt of misleading the public over a severe LPG shortage. He claimed businesses are shutting down, while the govt says there's nothing to worry about. The opposition protested the crisis in Parliament.

Congress Accuses Govt of Downplaying LPG Crisis

Congress MP K Suresh on Wednesday criticised the ruling government over the reported shortage of LPG gas in the wake of the West Asia conflict, alleging that the authorities are failing to disclose the real situation in the country. Suresh claimed that the government continues to downplay the crisis, asserting there is "nothing to worry about," although numerous hotels and businesses have reportedly shut down due to the fuel shortage. Highlighting this discrepancy, the Congress MP accused the government of misleading the public about the severity of the situation.

"The LPG and CNG crisis in the country is very serious. The govt is not revealing the real situation. Many of the hotels and other businesses have closed. The situation is very serious. But the government is saying that there is nothing to worry about. At the same time, restaurants & hotel owners are saying that the situation is serious. The govt is misleading the people of the nation," Suresh told ANI.

Opposition Protests in Parliament

Meanwhile, Congress MPs today protested in the Parliament premises over the alleged shortage of commercial LPG cylinders across the country. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined the demonstration, where Opposition leaders carried banners reading, "PM is compromised."

Ahead of the protest, Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat accused the Centre of "running from its responsibilities." "PM Modi said in 2022 that we will reduce imports, but we are instead relying on other countries. There should be a detailed discussion in the Parliament over our immediate steps ahead. The impact of the war has started to show. This government is running from its responsibilities," Sukhdeo Bhagat told ANI.

Call for Parliamentary Discussion

The INDIA bloc leaders had sought a discussion in Parliament on the reported shortage of LPG amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar on Wednesday submitted a suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss the reported shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders across the country amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Giving the notice, the MP flagged the longer waiting period and price hike for LPG cylinders, saying that the shortage had created "immense hardship" for the citizens. He said that the Upper House of the Parliament should be informed about the "actual status of LPG reserves, the steps taken to ensure uninterrupted supply, and the contingency measures being adopted to protect consumers from shortages and price shocks."

Govt Invokes Essential Commodities Act Amid Shortage

The shortage of LPG has emerged amid global energy supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. In response, the Union government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to prioritise domestic LPG supply, reserving higher allocations for households, hospitals, and essential services while restricting commercial distribution in several regions. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)