SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav Criticises Government Amid LPG Supply Crisis

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Monday criticised the government over reported LPG shortages in several parts of the country, alleging that citizens are being forced to wait in long queues for gas cylinders. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, he said those who once aspired to make India a “Vishwaguru” should not put people through such hardships.

Referring indirectly to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav added that the government cannot be expected to admit the problem, even as citizens struggle. “During 2016 demonetisation, people stood in lines. During Covid-19, there was an oxygen shortage. Today, they are again standing in queues for LPG,” he said, highlighting the recurring nature of public crises.

Yadav claimed that families in areas like Noida are particularly affected, with mothers unable to cook for their children while waiting for cylinders from early morning. He urged party workers to document the situation with photographs and send them to the party headquarters, calling the alleged shortages a result of government mismanagement.

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Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha witnessed heated exchanges over the LPG supply shortage. Leader of the Opposition and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge clashed with Leader of the House J.P. Nadda during Zero Hour, accusing the government of failing to manage the energy crisis arising from the Gulf conflict and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Kharge highlighted that 60 percent of India’s LPG is imported, with 90 percent of this supply passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted, creating a global oil and gas supply challenge. He said the shortages have hit middle-class and low-income households hardest, forcing restaurants, hostels, and community kitchens to close, while prices of LPG cylinders have surged.

The Congress leader also criticised the government for increasing the waiting period for domestic LPG cylinders from 21 to 25 days, alleging this has encouraged hoarding and black marketing. Kharge questioned the government’s planning, foreign policy, and the credibility of Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, claiming official statements on LPG availability do not reflect ground realities. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Nadda intervened amid the uproar, as debates continued over the handling of the crisis.

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