Saurabh Mukherjee
A heated exchange broke out in the Rajya Sabha on Monday (March 16) as opposition and treasury bench members clashed over the reported shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the country amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge blamed the Centre for failing to prepare in advance for possible disruptions in LPG supply due to geopolitical tensions in the region. He accused the government of not making contingency arrangements despite knowing that developments in West Asia could affect maritime routes and energy imports.
Speaking during Zero Hour, Kharge said that he wanted to draw the government’s attention to the ongoing LPG shortage in the country.
“I want to draw the government’s attention towards the LPG issue owing to the conflict in West Asia. The LPG shortage is affecting the poor, middle class, restaurants, hostels and commercial users. India imports about 60% of its LPG needs and of this 90% comes through the Strait of Hormuz. During this current situation, the domestic availability and price stability have become serious issues. Not just homes, MSMEs and other commercial users are facing severe difficulties in obtaining LPG cylinders,” he stated.
“The LPG crisis has caused widespread panic across the entire nation. Its impact is severely affecting the poor and vulnerable sections, the middle class, ordinary households, restaurants, hostels, and commercial users,” Kharge said.
“Many establishments have limited or completely halted their operations. Some are purchasing at exorbitant rates, over Rs 5,000 per cylinder,” he claimed.
Kharge said that Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had claimed in the Lok Sabha that there was no LPG shortage and had urged people not to believe rumours.
“But the ground reality proves the government’s claims wrong,” he added.
“The government very well knew a crisis was impending at the Strait of Hormuz. The situation would not have been that bad had advance planning and alternative arrangements for LPG imports,” Kharge said.
During his remarks, Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan repeatedly asked Kharge to conclude as speakers are normally allotted three minutes during Zero Hour, though the Chair eventually allowed him some additional time.
Responding to the opposition’s allegations, Leader of the House J. P. Nadda strongly criticised the Congress and other opposition parties, accusing them of attempting to spread panic and politicise the issue. He alleged that instead of supporting the government during a difficult international situation, the opposition was trying to provoke unrest.
“They are inciting the peaceful people of the country, and this is very unfortunate even in such a situation, they are indulging in politics. Instead of standing with the country, they are trying to create anarchy…This is condemnable,” Nadda said.
Earlier in the debate, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Puri had already provided a detailed explanation on the matter in the Lok Sabha. He also claimed that although Rahul Gandhi had been given the opportunity to speak on the issue in the lower house, he had chosen to discuss other matters instead.
The LPG supply situation was also raised later during the discussion on the Appropriation Bill. John Brittas, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), referred to the reported shortage and also criticised the alleged blocking of funds by the Centre meant for Kerala.
Referring to a reported 30-day waiver by the United States allowing India to purchase Russian oil, he said such diktats amounted to humiliation for the country by a foreign power.
Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil described the LPG situation as a “man-made crisis”. “Did you not know the Strait of Hormuz is important for us? We had good relations with Iran, we did not need to go to Israel…” he said. BJP leader Arun Singh countered by accusing the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of attempting to spread panic over the issue.
Meanwhile, political tensions in Parliament were also visible earlier in the day when Derek O'Brien, a Rajya Sabha MP of the All India Trinamool Congress, announced that his party would walk out for the day. The protest was against the Election Commission’s late-night order transferring several senior officials of the West Bengal government, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, shortly after the announcement of the poll schedule and the coming into force of the Model Code of Conduct.
The exchanges in the Upper House reflected the growing political confrontation over the LPG supply situation and the broader impact of the ongoing West Asia conflict on India’s energy security.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge blamed the Centre for failing to prepare in advance for possible disruptions in LPG supply due to geopolitical tensions in the region. He accused the government of not making contingency arrangements despite knowing that developments in West Asia could affect maritime routes and energy imports.
Speaking during Zero Hour, Kharge said that he wanted to draw the government’s attention to the ongoing LPG shortage in the country.
“I want to draw the government’s attention towards the LPG issue owing to the conflict in West Asia. The LPG shortage is affecting the poor, middle class, restaurants, hostels and commercial users. India imports about 60% of its LPG needs and of this 90% comes through the Strait of Hormuz. During this current situation, the domestic availability and price stability have become serious issues. Not just homes, MSMEs and other commercial users are facing severe difficulties in obtaining LPG cylinders,” he stated.
“The LPG crisis has caused widespread panic across the entire nation. Its impact is severely affecting the poor and vulnerable sections, the middle class, ordinary households, restaurants, hostels, and commercial users,” Kharge said.
“Many establishments have limited or completely halted their operations. Some are purchasing at exorbitant rates, over Rs 5,000 per cylinder,” he claimed.
Kharge said that Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had claimed in the Lok Sabha that there was no LPG shortage and had urged people not to believe rumours.
“But the ground reality proves the government’s claims wrong,” he added.
“The government very well knew a crisis was impending at the Strait of Hormuz. The situation would not have been that bad had advance planning and alternative arrangements for LPG imports,” Kharge said.
During his remarks, Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan repeatedly asked Kharge to conclude as speakers are normally allotted three minutes during Zero Hour, though the Chair eventually allowed him some additional time.
Responding to the opposition’s allegations, Leader of the House J. P. Nadda strongly criticised the Congress and other opposition parties, accusing them of attempting to spread panic and politicise the issue. He alleged that instead of supporting the government during a difficult international situation, the opposition was trying to provoke unrest.
“They are inciting the peaceful people of the country, and this is very unfortunate even in such a situation, they are indulging in politics. Instead of standing with the country, they are trying to create anarchy…This is condemnable,” Nadda said.
Earlier in the debate, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Puri had already provided a detailed explanation on the matter in the Lok Sabha. He also claimed that although Rahul Gandhi had been given the opportunity to speak on the issue in the lower house, he had chosen to discuss other matters instead.
The LPG supply situation was also raised later during the discussion on the Appropriation Bill. John Brittas, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), referred to the reported shortage and also criticised the alleged blocking of funds by the Centre meant for Kerala.
Referring to a reported 30-day waiver by the United States allowing India to purchase Russian oil, he said such diktats amounted to humiliation for the country by a foreign power.
Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil described the LPG situation as a “man-made crisis”. “Did you not know the Strait of Hormuz is important for us? We had good relations with Iran, we did not need to go to Israel…” he said. BJP leader Arun Singh countered by accusing the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of attempting to spread panic over the issue.
Meanwhile, political tensions in Parliament were also visible earlier in the day when Derek O'Brien, a Rajya Sabha MP of the All India Trinamool Congress, announced that his party would walk out for the day. The protest was against the Election Commission’s late-night order transferring several senior officials of the West Bengal government, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, shortly after the announcement of the poll schedule and the coming into force of the Model Code of Conduct.
The exchanges in the Upper House reflected the growing political confrontation over the LPG supply situation and the broader impact of the ongoing West Asia conflict on India’s energy security.
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