Kamal Ghorui
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday raised the LPG crisis arising out of the conflict in West Asia, asking why the govt did not do advance planning of LPG imports or make alternative arrangements despite being aware of the regional tensions. “Why did the govt not make alternative arrangements if it was aware of the regional tensions? Why was the Opposition not taken on board for a coordinated response to public anxiety.”Why is the govt not taking any measures to curb hoarding and black marketing in LPG? This crisis not only exposes our mismanagement but also highlights our weak domestic and foreign policy,” he alleged.Kharge’s submission, which extended well beyond the 3 minutes allowed to each member during the zero hour, drew a sharp reaction from Leader of the House J P Nadda who accused the Opposition of spreading anarchy and engaging in politics over LPG shortage, rather than standing with the govt as it manages the situation not of India’s own making but caused purely by international developments. While reminding Kharge of petroleum minister Hardeep Puri’s earlier statement in the LS on the LPG situation, Nadda recalled that Congress MPs had not even heard him. Nadda claimed that a Congress leader was himself caught hoarding LPG. Earlier, Kharge said the LPG crisis has created a panic across the country, given its adverse impact on the poor, middle-class households, besides restaurants, hostels and commercial establishments. Recalling that India imports LPG to meet 60% of its domestic requirements, he added that 90% of these imports come via the Strait of Hormuz. “Both LPG availability and price stability have become issues of serious concern...MSMEs and commercial users are facing problems in securing LPG refills. It is worrisome that some establishments have stopped operations while some are paying up to Rs 5000 per cylinder,” he claimed.Pointing to Puri’s claims that there is no LPG shortage, Kharge alleged that the ground realities were different. “When India was issuing advisories to its citizens in Iran, warning of the deterioration in the situation, it should have also warned of adverse impact on critical maritime routes and energy supplies. We should have accordingly been prepared. Govt knew of the impending situation in the Strait of Hormuz. So had the LPG imports advance planning and alternative arrangements been done, we would not be facing this crisis,” he noted.
