New Delhi, 6 April

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dealt with the "LPG gas crisis" just like it handled the COVID-19 pandemic, as it is "devoid of policy, full of grand announcements", and places the "entire burden" upon the poor.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha asked why it is always the poor who perish first in every crisis and urged people not to remain silent.

"Modi Ji had said: 'We will handle the LPG gas crisis just like we handled COVID. And indeed, that is exactly what he did. Precisely like COVID - devoid of policy, full of grand announcements, and placing the entire burden upon the poor," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

For migrant labourers earning a daily wage of Rs 500-800, cooking gas has become completely unaffordable, he said.

A labourer returning home at night does not even have the money to light the stove, he said.

"The result? Abandon the city; flee back to the village. The very labourers who serve as the backbone of textile mills and factories are today on the verge of breaking down themselves," he alleged.

"The textile sector is already in the ICU. The manufacturing sector is gasping for breath. And where did this crisis originate? From that diplomatic blunder - committed at the negotiating table - which the government refuses to acknowledge to this day," Gandhi said.

When arrogance becomes policy, the economy crumbles, labourers are forced to migrate, industries are ruined, and the entire nation is pushed back by decades, Gandhi said, slamming the Modi government.

"There remains but one question: Why is it always the poor who perish first in every crisis? Do not remain silent. This is not merely a question for the poor; it is a question for all of us," the former Congress chief said.

Speaking in Parliament on 23 March, Prime Minister Modi had said the difficult global conditions caused by the West Asia conflict are likely to persist for a long time and called upon the nation to remain prepared and united, just as it had stood together during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, Prime Minister Modi had called for an 'all-out effort' to safeguard Indian citizens from the impact of the war in West Asia and stressed a timely and authentic public information system to ward off any misinformation or rumour-mongering.

At a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by him, the prime minister had also assessed the availability of critical needs for the common people and said all efforts must be made to safeguard the citizens from the impact of this conflict.

Modi had directed all departments concerned to take all possible measures to ameliorate the problems of citizens and sectors affected by the ongoing global situation, a PMO statement had said.

Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan had briefed those present about action taken to ensure the supply of petroleum products, particularly LNG/LPG, and power.

Sources are being diversified for the procurement of LPG with new inflows from different countries. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is also being sourced from different countries.