Whispers of LPG shortages, triggered by West Asian unrest, have unleashed chaos at gas agencies nationwide, prompting fierce political volleys. RJD’s Rohini Acharya led the charge, using X to skewer the central government with her trademark wit.
‘Celebrating gas shortages soon?’ she quipped, rechristening the fiasco as ‘Pradhanmantri Line Lagao Yojana.’ Recalling demonetization lines and COVID oxygen hunts, she accused authorities of glorifying citizen struggles.
Panic gripped consumers as news of impending scarcity spread. In Bihar and several states, agencies overflowed with crowds desperate for cylinders. Booking portals crashed under pressure, delaying essential refills for millions of homes.
Opposition voices amplified the uproar, planning street protests to demand accountability on fuel distribution.
Government officials pushed back firmly, guaranteeing uninterrupted domestic supply. PM Modi cautioned against unverified rumors, admitting supply chain snags but forecasting rapid recovery. He drew on the nation’s COVID-19 victory to rally public trust.
This spat has broadened into a national conversation on crisis preparedness, energy imports, and political opportunism. With queues unrelenting, the LPG row tests the government’s mettle in reassuring a jittery populace.