Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid concerns over a reported shortage of commercial LPG cylinders. Gandhi said that while the Prime Minister has been urging citizens not to panic, he himself appears to be “anxious for entirely different reasons.”
“The PM is repeatedly saying it is not necessary to panic, but he himself is panicked but for completely different reasons... PM is panicking because of Epstein (files), he is panicked because of the Adani case, he is not able to come inside the House,” Gandhi told media.
He pointed out that PM Modi’s absence in the House. Gandhi stated, “You saw he us unable to step inside the house. Yesterday that the prime minister's chair was empty. So, he is advising the country not to panic but has panicking himself.”
Gandhi made the remarks after several opposition MPs, including himself and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest inside the Parliament House complex demanding answers from the government over the reported shortage of commercial LPG cylinders.
Opposition MPs from several parties, including the Congress, DMK, TMC and SP, gathered near Parliament’s Makar Dwar to protest against the situation. Demonstrators raised slogans such as “Naam Narendra, Kaam Surrender” and “Modi ji, LPG.”
Women MPs from the opposition, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also joined the protest by sitting with a symbolic brick stove, highlighting the alleged shortage and demanding accountability from the government.
The opposition has also been pushing for a comprehensive discussion in Parliament on the situation in West Asia and its possible impact on India.
Rahul Gandhi’s rebuttal comes after Prime Minister Modi, on Wednesday, had appealed to citizens not to panic, assuring them that the government would safeguard public interest. He expressed confidence that authorities would be able to manage the LPG situation, even as reduced supply of commercial cylinders has begun affecting the country’s hospitality sector.
As the government prioritises domestic LPG supply for households amid disruptions in global fuel supply chains caused by the ongoing conflict, businesses dependent on commercial LPG—from small roadside eateries to high-end restaurants—are increasingly anxious. Many establishments fear they may have to shut down temporarily if the shortage persists.
In the national capital Delhi, several restaurants have reported irregular LPG deliveries, with some establishments claiming they have stock that will last only a day or two. Restaurant owners have also raised concerns about staff wages if operations are forced to halt.
