Mumbai, March 16 Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray questioned the claims of the Union and Maharashtra governments regarding the availability of LPG amidst the West Asia crisis, and asked why people were queuing up for cylinders if that was the case. He also criticized Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his assertion that the opposition was creating panic through misinformation, despite the fact that there was no shortage of LPG or fuel in the state.
"If there is a supply of LPG, then why are people queuing up? I have received information that 30 to 40 per cent of hotels in Mumbai are closing down due to the shortage," Thackeray said.
"If the chief minister is not willing to acknowledge that such a situation exists, then the state's situation is really difficult," he said, alleging that the government machinery had failed to convey the ground reality to Fadnavis.
He said it is a serious matter when those in power, despite understanding the situation, are not willing to acknowledge the suffering of the people and continue to claim that nothing is wrong.
Speaking to reporters in Pune on Sunday, Fadnavis had said, "Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are deliberately creating fear among people, resulting in citizens standing in queues for LPG cylinders."
"We have sufficient gas supply. There is absolutely no need to queue up for LPG anywhere," the CM had said.
India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas and 60 per cent of LPG needs. Before the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's retaliation, more than half of India's crude imports, about 30 per cent of gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG imports came from Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The conflict has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Gulf energy supplies.
