"Why were you lying to people?": Priyanka Chaturvedi slams Centre on commercial LPG shortage

New Delhi [India], March 10 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Tuesday questioned the Centre over reports of a shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, asking the government to explain the reasons behind the alleged crisis.
Speaking to ANI, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP said the government had earlier claimed there was sufficient stock reserve but was now stating that there was no crisis or that the situation had been managed.
"Why did the crisis occur? The government should explain this. We were being told through sources that there is a stock reserve. Now, you are telling us that there was no crisis or that the crisis has been managed," Chaturvedi said.
She further claimed that several sectors have reported supply issues.
"Hotel industries have given it in writing that they are indeed facing a crisis. Even manufacturing units are facing a crisis," she said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also demanded that the Central government fix accountability for the situation.
"Why were you lying to people? It shows that, be it our geopolitics or our government, they run only on 'jumlebaazi', not on planning or keeping in mind the issues of the public," she added.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had urgently requested Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, via a letter to intervene in the severe commercial LPG shortage in Bengaluru.
He claimed that disruption in supply following a central directive is forcing restaurants, hotels, and catering services to the brink of temporary closure.
Highlighting that a revised order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which he said prioritises domestic LPG, has caused an unintended supply crisis for commercial users.
This comes amid concerns over energy supplies amid escalated tensions in West Asia, following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28. The strikes also killed several senior leaders of the Islamic Republic.
In retaliation, Tehran launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases in multiple Arab countries and Israeli assets across the region. Israel, along with the US, continued its strikes on Tehran, with Tel Aviv widening the conflict to Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militant groups. (ANI)