Kharge raises LPG shortage issue in Rajya Sabha; government says Opposition trying to bring anarchy

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (March 16, 2026) expressed concern over the shortage of LPG in the country and accused the government of not taking pre-emptive measures to check the crisis and black marketing of the cooking gas.

Union Minister and Leader of the House J.P. Nadda responded, saying the Opposition is “trying to bring anarchy in the country” instead of standing with the government “in a crisis situation”.

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Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Kharge, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the House, said the LPG crisis in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia has caused widespread distress across the country. It is severely impacting the poor and vulnerable, the middle class, ordinary households, restaurants, hostels, and commercial users.

He said when the conflict in West Asia escalated, the government had issued an advisory to Indian citizens. Since that time, the government knew that the energy supply would be affected.