New Delhi, March 16 The BJP on Monday accused the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) of spreading "lies" about the availability of domestic LPG cylinders, alleging that the opposition is attempting to create panic for "political and commercial" gains.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, LPG stands for "lies, panic, and changing goals".
"This is their old habit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Akhileshji had lied that it was the BJP's vaccine. Even then, they had tried to create chaos. 'Panic for profit' has been their old model. They first spread misinformation about a crude oil shortage, and when that narrative collapsed, they switched to LPG," Poonawalla told reporters.
Accusing the opposition of attempting to create a crisis, he alleged that their plan is to facilitate the black market sale of gas cylinders.
"This is their old model – create panic on television and profit on the ground... That is why members of the Congress and SP have been caught with cylinders. Who are these people caught with 50 to 100 cylinders? All of them are linked to the Congress and the SP. First create artificial panic and then engage in black marketing. Finding commercial and political opportunities in a crisis has become a habit of the Congress ecosystem," the BJP leader said.
He said that the government has not only diversified crude oil sources but has also moved towards domestic alternatives. He noted that for the last four-five years, petrol and diesel prices have not gone up, even though they have risen across the world.
Poonawalla asserted that there is no shortage of LPG, piped natural gas, or compressed natural gas used for transport, and that domestic consumers are being prioritized over commercial and industrial usage in supply allocation.
"Domestic LPG cylinders used to be delivered in about two-and-a-half days earlier, and it continues to be the same. The 25,000 dealers across the country have not faced any stock-outs anywhere. There is no shortage in the supply of domestic cylinders. The supply of piped gas and CNG used for transport is 100 per cent. The issue is only in commercial and industrial use, where, according to prioritization, 70 to 80 per cent preference is being given to domestic consumers," he said.
Another BJP spokesperson, Prem Shukla, also claimed that there is no crisis with regard to domestic LPG cylinders, though he said that some prioritization has been done for commercial supply.
Alleging attempts to spread misinformation, Shukla claimed that some Congress leaders in Maharashtra and Karnataka were caught hoarding LPG cylinders and indulging in profiteering. He also alleged that members of the SP were caught in similar acts.
"The opposition, led by the Congress, wants to spread chaos in the country through misinformation. There is no shortage of LPG in the country," he said.
