Tensions escalated outside the headquarters of the Indian National Congress in New Delhi on Friday as party workers staged a protest over the alleged shortage of LPG cylinders in several parts of the country. Demonstrators demanded the resignation of Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, accusing the Centre of failing to ensure an adequate supply of cooking gas.
According to reports, Congress workers gathered near the party office in the national capital, raising slogans against the central government and claiming that many households are struggling to obtain LPG cylinders.
As part of the demonstration, protesters set up a temporary chulha (traditional wood-fired stove) on the roadside and prepared tea, symbolically portraying what they said was a return to traditional cooking methods due to the alleged scarcity of LPG.
Several participants in the protest alleged that families are facing difficulties in obtaining cylinders and that in some areas people are being forced to wait in long queues outside LPG distribution centres.
Speaking during the protest, a Congress leader blamed the situation on what he described as the “faulty policies” of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He claimed the alleged shortage has disrupted daily life in many households and said residents in several cities are struggling to access cooking gas supplies.
The leader also alleged that the issue has begun affecting institutions, claiming that even certain public establishments, including a canteen associated with the Delhi High Court, had reportedly faced disruptions due to the lack of LPG cylinders.
Drawing comparisons with previous crises, the Congress leader said the situation reminded people of the long queues witnessed during the 2016 Indian demonetisation and the severe medical oxygen shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
As the protest intensified, personnel from the Delhi Police intervened and detained several party workers who were participating in the demonstration.
Meanwhile, Congress parliamentarians also questioned the government’s assertion that there is no shortage of LPG cylinders. Member of Parliament Mohammad Jawed asked why cooking gas prices had risen if supplies were unaffected, arguing that people across the country are facing real difficulties in obtaining cylinders.
