Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday castigated the government for failing to make advance arrangements to mitigate the LPG crisis, prompting the BJP to accuse the Congress of politicising the issue.

“The country is reeling from an LPG crisis. About 60 per cent of the LPG requirement of India comes through imports. And 90 per cent of the LPG being imported comes through the Strait of Hormuz. Households, dhabawalas, restaurants and hostels are facing severe problems. Community kitchens are closed. Some are buying LPG cylinders at over ₹5,000,” Kharge said.

The Congress president said petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri had claimed in the Lok Sabha that there was no shortage of LPG and called for caution against rumours, but the ground reality had proved the claims wrong.

“The government was aware of the impending crisis. If LPG imports and advanced planning had been done on time, this crisis would have been avoided. The government has hiked the price of an LPG cylinder by ₹60. If the government’s claims are correct, what is the justification for so many restrictions?” Kharge asked.

Kharge said the waiting period between cylinder bookings had been increased from 21 to 25 days in urban areas and from 25 to 45 days in rural areas, resulting in hoarding and panic booking.

“Why no action was taken to stop hoarding and black-marketing? This crisis shows the weakness of our foreign policy,” he said.

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said the petroleum minister gave a statement in the Lok Sabha on the issue, but the Congress members did not hear him out.

Leader of the House J.P. Nadda said the Opposition, particularly the Congress, did not refrain from doing politics even at a time of disaster. “A Congress leader has been caught hoarding cylinders. They are hoarding and inciting the people of the country. They are trying to create a disturbance. This is condemnable,” Nadda said.