New Delhi, March 16 – The Rajya Sabha witnessed heated debate and noisy scenes on Monday over shortages of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), with Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the House (LoP) J.P. Nadda clashing over the government's response to the West Asia crisis.
The confrontation occurred during the Zero Hour, as Kharge accused the government of mismanagement and poor handling of the energy crisis, stemming from the full-scale 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 stated that middle-class and poor families have been most affected.
He claimed that restaurants, hostels, and community kitchens have been forced to close, and it is a serious concern that LPG cylinders are being sold at exorbitant prices.
He stated that 60 per cent of the country's LPG is imported, and 90 per cent of this supply comes via the Strait of Hormuz – a crucial maritime route that has been closed, leading to a global oil crisis.
Kharge also highlighted shortages of fertilizers and claimed that fertilizer plants are facing a severe situation. He said that if the government had planned in advance for 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 President of the Congress, also accused Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri of providing false information on LPG supply in the country and stated that the reality on the ground is far from what the minister boasted.
Kharge’s relentless attack on the government over the LPG crisis prompted interjections by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju as well as Nadda.
Interrupting Kharge's onslaught, Nadda said that the zero hour necessitates members to raise issues of public concern and sought the intervention of the Chair.
Rijiju also made a pointed intervention, accusing the Opposition of creating chaos in the House when serious matters are discussed and pondered upon. Training guns at Rahul Gandhi, he said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha wanted to speak on the LPG issue, but when his turn came, he chose to speak on other issues.
“When the Petroleum Minister gave a statement on the country’s oil and energy reserves, the Opposition didn’t listen and indulged in creating a ruckus," Rijiju remarked.
The Opposition didn’t relent and kept the heat on the government over the LPG crisis. House Chairman CP Radhakrishnan then urged Kharge to conclude his charge, amid ruckus by the Opposition benches.
Nadda, responding to Kharge’s allegations, hit back at the Opposition, remarking: "It’s a sad fact that the Congress doesn’t refrain from politicking even in difficult situations."
He also sought to remind the Opposition benches that the crisis didn’t happen because of India but because of global factors.
"A Congress leader has been caught hoarding. Instead of standing up with the government in critical times, they are trying to milk the issue to score political points," he said.