Those who once aspired to be Vishwaguru are now making people stand in long queues: Akhilesh Yadav

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Monday criticised the government over the reported LPG shortage in parts of the country, alleging that common people are being forced to stand in long queues for gas cylinders.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Akhilesh Yadav said that those who once aspired to make India a “Vishwaguru” should not put citizens through such hardships. Referring to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said people cannot expect him to admit that there is a problem.

“Those who once aspired to be Vishwaguru are now making people stand in long queues. This is not the first time common people have faced such hardships. During the 2016 demonetisation, people stood in lines. During Covid-19, there was an oxygen shortage, and today people are again standing in queues for LPG,” he said.

Akhilesh Yadav further claimed that in areas like Noida, many families are struggling as mothers are unable to cook for their children while waiting for gas cylinders. He said people are standing in queues from early morning and spending the entire day there.

He questioned the government’s claims of adequate supply and alleged mismanagement, urging party workers to send photographs of the situation to the party headquarters.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha also witnessed an uproar and noisy scenes over LPG supply shortages, with the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the House (LoP) J.P. Nadda crossing swords over the government’s response to the West Asia crisis.

The face-off broke out during the Zero Hour, as Kharge accused the government of mismanagement and poor handling of the energy crisis, arising due to a full-blown war in the Gulf and the subsequent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Kharge blamed the government for the acute shortage of LPG cylinders across the country and said that middle-class and poor families have been hit the hardest.

He claimed that the restaurants, hostels, and community kitchens have been forced to down their shutters, and it was a matter of big concern that LPG cylinders are being sold at exorbitant prices.

Stating out facts, he said that 60 per cent of the country’s LPG is imported, and out of this, 90 per cent of this supply comes via the Strait of Hormuz – the key maritime route that stands closed, leading to a global oil crisis.

Kharge also highlighted supply shortages of fertilisers and claimed that fertiliser plants are facing a crippling situation. He said that if the government had done advanced planning on LPG supply, such a situation wouldn’t have arisen.

"The waiting period for LPG cylinders has also been increased from 21 to 25 days, leading to hoarding and black-marketing. This crisis exposes the government’s poor planning, lackadaisical approach and also raises questions on its foreign policy,” he said, questioning the government over the lack of planning.

Kharge, who is also the Congress President, also accused Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri of giving falsified information on LPG supply in the country and said that the reality on the ground was far from what the minister boasted.

Kharge’s relentless attack on the government over the LPG crisis prompted interjection by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju as well as Nadda.