Karnataka Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday referred to the ongoing shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in the country as a crisis formulated by the BJP. The Karnataka Minister also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi compromised the foreign policy of the country to appease his industrial friends.
"This crisis has been formulated by the BJP. This is nothing but a disastrous policy by the central government," Kharge stated. He questioned why the Essential Services Maintenance Act was invoked if there was no crisis. "The govt of India is clueless. How were they not aware of the situation?" he added.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attacked the opposition over their protests in Lok Sabha on LPG supply issues, saying it is taking irresponsible positions instead of standing together with the government. She said it is ironic that even while she is speaking about how the Government is preparing itself to face unexpected events, including supply chain disruptions and issues related to LPG due to the situation in West Asia, the Opposition is not willing to listen to the reply.
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. The shortage stems from the ongoing war between the US, Israel, and Iran which has disrupted LPG cylinder supplies in cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. India imports about 60 percent of its LPG consumption, with about 90 percent of those imports normally moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
