Jaipur, March 13 Congress workers held demonstrations in several places in Rajasthan on Friday over the crisis in the supply of LPG cylinders amid the West Asia crisis and accused the government of causing hardship for the public.
The protests took place in cities including Jaipur, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Nagaur, and Alwar.
During the protest in Jaipur, former minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas criticised the BJP government and alleged that people were unable to cook food due to the alleged shortage of cylinders and rising prices.
Congress leaders warned that their agitation would escalate if the government failed to address the issue and restore normal gas supply soon.
In Ajmer, workers of the city and district Congress units held a demonstration outside the collectorate, raising slogans against the government while highlighting the escalating scarcity of LPG cylinders.
To symbolically register their protest, party leaders and workers lit a traditional stove and cooked food outside the collectorate premises, emphasising that the disruption in gas supply had forced people to resort to alternative cooking methods.
Ajmer Congress leader, including Rajkumar Jaipal, marched from Jyotiba Phule Circle to the collectorate carrying empty LPG cylinders. Former minister Raghu Sharma also participated in the protest.
In Jaisalmer, Congress workers led by district Congress president Amardeen Fakir and former minister Saleh Mohammad demonstrated outside the collectorate. Protesters carried empty cylinders, firewood, stoves and utensils and raised slogans against the government. They also lit a wood-fired stove on the road near Gandhi Darshan and prepared tea as part of the protest.
Demonstrations also occurred in Nagaur, Alwar, and other locations. Nagaur Congress president Hanuman Bangda alleged that people and small businesses were facing severe difficulties due to the shortage of LPG cylinders.
Meanwhile, residents in Jaipur expressed their frustration over delays in the delivery of LPG cylinders. Many people rushed to gas agencies to check the status of their cylinder bookings, and long queues were observed at some locations.
Leader of the opposition Tikaram Jully claimed that the government was refusing to acknowledge the situation despite reports of a worsening supply scenario.
"Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma had held a meeting just a day ago and claimed that there was no LPG crisis in Rajasthan. Similar statements have been made by the BJP state president and former Leader of the Opposition, but it is surprising how the chief minister and BJP leaders can make such claims despite the situation worsening every day," Jully posted on X.
"Have their connection with the ground reality completely broken, and are they relying only on briefings from officials?" Jully asked.
Meanwhile, due to the LPG crisis, many dhabas, restaurants, and eateries have reduced their menus and increased prices. "I had no choice but to limit the menu and raise prices to manage the situation. Commercial cylinders are scarce, and when they are available, they come at high prices," Prakash Kumar, a dhaba owner on Gopalpura Bypass, said.
Several tiffin centres and paying guest (PG) hostels, along with hotels, have reported facing challenges due to the LPG crisis. "We have limited menu options in the canteen and are exploring alternative solutions," Girdhari Sharma, a PG hostel operator in Mahesh Nagar, said.
A student living in the Mahesh Nagar area noted that food and tea prices have increased, disrupting their monthly budgets.
"In addition to the price hikes, some vendors who typically sell items like poha haven't been coming to the market these last few days. It's manageable for now, but if the situation persists, it will worsen and completely disrupt my monthly budget," Rahul Chaudhary, who is preparing for competitive exams, said.