Bengaluru, March 11 (AHN) A heated debate erupted in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday over the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, with the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP trading sharp accusations while the government appealed to the public to limit LPG consumption during the ongoing global crisis.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa said the state government had already held discussions with oil companies and assured that domestic consumers would receive at least one LPG cylinder for use over 25 days. "I have worked as a Union Minister. The domestic supply won't be affected," he said.

He told the Assembly that the supply chain had been affected due to the ongoing war between Israel and Iran. "Ships are not arriving, and supplies have been stopped. In this situation, I held a meeting with Indian Oil, BPCL, HPCL, and GAIL along with the Secretary and the Commissioner," he said.

He added that domestic LPG supply would be prioritised. “For domestic consumers, there is no problem. A minimum of one cylinder for a family will be provided, and it can be used for 25 days. If the war stops, full supply will resume. At present, domestic production is between 25 and 30 per cent, and the other modes of consumption have been curtailed. We have allowed priority for domestic use,” he said.

Muniyappa said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had directed officials to ensure minimum supply to households and appealed to the public to use LPG cautiously. "I request people to limit the use of LPG cylinders and avoid additional consumption. In this situation, minimum usage should be ensured, and people should not demand extra cylinders," he said.

The issue was raised during Zero Hour by Congress MLA K.H. Ranganath, who said the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders was affecting restaurants and small hotels across the state.

"In many cities across the state, the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders is becoming severe. Restaurants and small hotels depend entirely on these cylinders. With the war situation, the food industry in the country, including Karnataka and Bengaluru, has been hit, and several restaurants have shut down," he said.

Ranganath also alleged that commercial users were being forced to buy cylinders at high prices. "You claim there is no problem for domestic consumers, but commercial users are forced to buy cylinders at exorbitant prices. This is a failure of the Central government’s foreign policy," he said.

BJP MLAs strongly objected to the remark and urged Ranganath not to politicise the issue.

Minister for IT and BT Priyank Kharge also criticised the Centre, saying the public panic was due to conflicting statements from Union ministers.

"The Union minister had stated in Parliament on February 9 that the country had enough LPG stock for 45 days and people need not worry. On March 6, the Petroleum Minister again said there was no shortage. On the same day, the Centre increased the domestic cylinder price by Rs 60 and the commercial cylinder price by Rs 120," he said.

Questioning the Centre’s handling of the situation, he asked: "What happened to the foreign policy and where is Prime Minister Narendra Modi today?"

Kharge also made a sarcastic remark about the Centre, saying it was busy wishing film actress Rashmika Mandanna while failing to address the crisis.

Siddaramaiah said the responsibility for supplying LPG cylinders rested with the Central government. "Who will provide gas cylinders? It is the Centre which has to ensure the supply," he said.

However, BJP MLA V. Sunil Kumar said the shortage was a global issue due to the war and accused the state government of politicising the matter.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka accused the Chief Minister and ministers of turning the issue into a political controversy.

He also alleged that Siddaramaiah had encouraged protests by hotel owners. "The Chief Minister himself is asking people to launch protests. Is this appropriate? As the head of the state, he should act responsibly,” he said.

At this, Siddaramaiah clarified that he had not called for protests. "Hotel owners had said they would protest if commercial cylinders were not supplied, and I only said their concern was valid. It is false to claim that I provoked them to launch a strike," he said.

BJP state President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra criticised Kharge, saying he should confine his remarks to his own portfolios.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the hospitality sector was already facing serious difficulties. “The Indian Hotels’ Association has stated that nearly 20 per cent of hotels have shut down. There is clearly an issue, and it is wrong to say there is no problem anywhere in the country,” he said.

Reiterating the government’s position, Muniyappa said about 70 per cent of LPG supply comes from outside sources, and the disruption of shipments had affected availability.

"Ten vessels have not been allowed to dock. Even if they do not arrive, one cylinder will be provided to each family once in 25 days. A 14-kg cylinder can be used by a family of four to five members for about one to one-and-a-half months,” he said.

Muniyappa said the government would restrict additional bookings and take strict action against black marketing. "There is no need to panic. One cylinder per family will be ensured each month, but there will be no scope for additional bookings. Legal action will be initiated against black market sales," he said.

He also appealed to commercial establishments to cooperate during the crisis as hospitals, schools and hostels will be given priority.

The minister added that weekly meetings would be held with oil companies to monitor the supply situation and ensure that domestic consumers do not face shortages.