Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “panicking” over issues such as the Adani indictment in the United States and the Epstein files, even as he asks citizens not to panic during the LPG shortage caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said the Prime Minister appears worried for entirely different reasons and is not willing to come to the Lok Sabha to address the issue directly. According to Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister is telling the country to remain calm while he himself seems anxious about other matters. He said that despite the seriousness of the situation, the Prime Minister has not entered the House to discuss the issue with members of Parliament.

Congress leaders continued their protests inside the Parliament premises over reports of a nationwide shortage of LPG cylinders. Leaders of the INDIA bloc have demanded a discussion in Parliament regarding the reported LPG shortage, which has affected several parts of the country. The opposition has urged the government to address the situation and clarify the steps being taken to ensure adequate supply.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal, the shortage has forced several restaurants to adopt alternative cooking methods. Some food outlets have shifted to induction cooking in order to maintain operations. A restaurant owner said they have managed to complete around 60 percent of their work using induction and expect to resolve the remaining challenges soon as more induction units become available. He added that chefs and staff members are working together to keep the business running.

The central government has said that domestic LPG production has increased by nearly 25 percent. Officials stated that the entire domestic LPG output is being directed toward household consumers, while non domestic LPG supplies are being prioritized for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.